Harry Potter and the Covenant of Power
by Crawfords08
Summary: Post HBP GrayTrio! Harry searches for the horcruxes and finds surprises behind every door and learns that war will have casulties. No ships. Formerly Harry Potter and the Quest for a life
1. Beginning

The rain lashing the windows of the Hogwarts Express was constant and heavy and reflected the mood inside the train very well. Usually the train would be loud and cheerful, the students happy to be free for the summer, but not this year. With Albus Dumbledore dead, the wizarding world was devastated. The only man that Voldemort had ever feared, was gone. Most were convinced it was only a matter of time until the Dark Lord took over. To all but three students, hope was lost.

Harry Potter, the-boy-who-lived, the chosen one, the last hope of the wizarding world, sat in a compartment at the back of the train with his two best friends, Hermione Granger and Ron Weasley.

Harry sat with his head leaning against the window, watching the raindrops drip down the other side of the glass, wishing he could drown himself in the rain. He quite literally had the weight of the world on his shoulders, and it was slowly wearing him down.

Dumbledore had shown him about the Horcruxes because he believed that Harry could destroy them, Harry wasn't so sure. Dumbledore had almost lost his hand destroying the ring, and Dumbledore was possibly the strongest wizard since the founders. He, Harry, was just a 16 soon to be 17 year old wizard with normal wizard power, nothing anywhere near as impressive as Dumbledore or even Voldemort.

Harry could feel his friends eyes boring holes into him, and he slowly looked towards the two people who had been there for him through everything. Taking in his friends' appearances, Harry could see the puffy red eyes of Hermione, a telltale sign that she had been crying for the better part of the last week as he knew she had been.

Ron on the other hand, to an outsider, would look perfectly normal, if only just a bit depressed. But Harry knew Ron to well. He could tell from the look in his friends' eyes that he was terrified, for his family, for himself, and for the whole wizarding world as well. For the first time the entire ride, Harry spoke.

"I'm not going back to the Dursleys, after all, it wouldn't make much difference. Even if I did, they will be happier if I don't, as will I. When the train reaches the platform, I'm going to apparate to Grimmauld place, and I'll just stay there." He said all this without really looking at Ron or Hermione, but he wasn't finished yet.

"McGonagall told me before we left the school that since D- HE died," Harry said, not able to say Dumbledore, "the fidelius charm isn't protecting the house anymore, so Hermione could you do it again? McGonagall told me that they won't be using the house for the Order anymore, they are just gonna do that at Hogwarts." He said this last part mostly because he had forgotten to tell them about it.

He finally looked over at Hermione to see a thoughtful look on her face.

"I don't know Harry, I suppose I could try. I read all about it last year when I first heard that headquarters was hidden by it but it's a pretty complicated charm."

"Oh Hermione, we all know you can do it, there isn't a charm that you've read about that you can't do." Ron voiced.

Hermione blushed at the compliment but it was true, they all did know that she could do it. Harry stood up and pulled his trunk down from the luggage compartment, shrunk it, and placed it in his trouser pocket.

"Harry, you can't do magic outside of Hogwarts!" Hermione reprimanded.

"Yeah I can, I'm with two adult wizards, the ministry can't tell who cast the spell so its fine." Hermione still looked unsure but didn't say anything. Ron, however, had caught something in Harry had said.

"Wait a minute Harry, you said YOU will stay at Grimmauld place, you meant US right?" Harry opened his mouth to object but Ron cut him off.

"Harry, we are going with you so don't waste your breath. When we get to the platform we will ALL go to Grimmauld place? Mum wont be to happy about it, but I'm an adult and she has no say."

"Yeah Harry, we said we are coming with you, and that's that. I already told my parents that I wouldn't be coming home for a while anyway since we had planned on staying at the Dursleys with you. Like Ron said, they didn't like it but they didn't really have a choice."

The rest of the train ride passed much the way the entire trip had, Harry went back to his thoughts and Hermione and Ron started a game of wizards chess in which Ron totally obliterated her. The peacefulness of the train ride bothered Harry a little bit. In truth he had expected the Death Eaters to attack the train and the teachers had obviously expected the same thing due to the fact that they had also ridden the train for extra safety.

When the Hogwarts Express pulled into platform 9 3/4, Harry, Ron and Hermione were the first ones off. While Ron and Hermione made their way over to the Weasleys, Harry hung back. He had seen Ginny make her way over to her family and he felt strange around her since their breakup.

"YOU'RE WHAT! ABSOLUTELY NOT RONALD WEASLEY! YOU ARE COMING HOME FOR THE SUMMER AND YOU ARE NOT DROPPING OUT!" Harry heard Mrs. Weasley screaming.

"YOU CAN'T TELL ME WHAT TO DO ANYMORE! I AM AN ADULT AND I WILL DO WHAT THE BLOODY HELL I WANT!" Ron hollered right back. Harry chanced a look over at the Weasleys but his view was blocked by Moody.

"Alright Potter, let's get you back to your relatives, seeing as how they couldn't be bothered to pick you up." Harry looked into his real eye; his other one was staring out the back of his head.

"No, I'm not going back to the Dursleys." Moody's other eye snapped forward to look at Harry at this.

"Potter," He growled, "you don't have a choice, either you come with me peacefully or ill have to stun you and take you against your will. It's the last time you will have to be there so just suck it up."

"Moody, I can tell you now, that if you try and force me I will fight you, and I've heard I'm rather good."

"Fine, have it your way." Moody pulled out his wand but before he could say a word, Harry beat him to it.

"Pulsus!" the spell was a new one that Harry had learned from Hermione that when connected, sent the person on the receiving end flying backwards. The blue light of the spell shot from the end of Harry's wand that he had hidden in his sleeve. The spell connected with the old auror flush in the stomach, sending him flying back a dozen feet. Ron and Mrs. Weasley stopped the argument and looked over, Ron with a look of awe and Mrs. Weasley with a look of surprise.

Before they could say anything, Harry had apparated to the alley beside Number 12 Grimmauld place.

Hermione had seen the whole exchange between Harry and Moody and while she was rather annoyed that Harry had attacked the older man, she understood why he did it.

When she saw him apparate away, she grabbed Ron by the arm, and apparated to the same alley Harry had, almost landing on top of him. Molly stood back at the platform with a look of anger so fierce that it could have melted metal. Moody, likewise, was extremely pissed.

"Harry! You cursed an auror!"

"Ex-auror actually 'Mione, ex-auror. And I didn't have a choice. He was gonna stun me and drag me back to the Dursleys. I only did what I felt necessary."

"It was bloody awesome Harry. I mean it was very foolish and could have dangerous consequences none the less." Ron added at the look Hermione gave him.

Harry laughed as they stepped out of the alley and onto the sidewalk of Grimmauld place, however the laugh died on his lips, for standing there in front of them, were three Death Eaters. In a flash Harry had his wand out and was casting spells as quickly as he could.

"STUPIFY! STUPIFY! STUPIFY!" Harry grabbed both Ron and Hermione and pulled them back into the cover of the alley.

"Hermione, Ron and I will cover you; you must get into the house and cast the fidelius. We don't know if the anti-apparation wards are still up. When you are done, get your ass back out here." Hermione nodded and Harry looked at Ron.

Silently Harry counted down on his fingers. When he raised his third finger they stepped back out into the street.

"STUPIFY! STUPIFY! IMPEDIMENTA! SECTUMSEMPRA! STUPIFY! REDUCTO! REDUCTO!" Harry hollered as he watched Hermione cross the street and enter the house out of the corner of his eye.

Taking refuge behind a car, Harry watch as the two Death Eaters they had managed to stun were revived by their comrade. Once again Harry and Ron cast stunners and managed to hit two of the Death Eaters, but again, they were revived by the third.

"Awe, does little baby Potter want to fight." Harry knew that voice anywhere; it was the voice of the woman who had killed Sirius, who had tortured the Longbottoms into insanity, the voice of Bellatrix Lestrange.

Harry's blood was boiling. Standing, Harry put all the strength he could into the spell.

"REDUCTO!" The red beam that shot from the end of his wand was enormous. It struck the side of the car that Harry thought Lestrange was hiding behind.

When the red light struck the side of the car, it exploded into a thousand pieces. The force of the explosion sent Harry soaring back and crashing into the side of number 9. It felt as though every bone in his body was broken, the pain was immense.

"Baby Potter finally got some power huh?" Bellatrix taunted as she stepped out from the other side of the street where she had been hiding.

"How does it feel to take your first lives little Potter? You've killed Crabbe and Goyle." She laughed as she said this.

"Not a big loss really, they were incredibly stupid little boys, much like yourself." The pain from his crash was gone, replaced by an anger that filled every tissue of Harry's body.

Standing up, Harry put all his anger into the curse.

"CRUICO!" The spell hit the unsuspecting Bellatrix and she went down screaming and twitching.

"HOW DO YOU LIKE THAT YOU BITCH! HOW DOES IT FUCKING FEEL!" He screamed at the top of his lungs. Pulling his wand up, Harry ended the spell.

"Get up you stupid bitch." He snarled, his voice dripping with hatred.

Bellatrix looked at him with what he could only assume was fear. Unseen to him, Hermione had returned and was watching the scene unfold from the doorstep of Number 12, while Ron was watching from behind the car.

"Cruci..." Bellatrix started but Harry cut her off.

"No" He said bringing his wand down in an arc. Bellatrix's head was brutally smacked to the side from the force of the wordless spell.

Looking back at Harry, there was a deep cut on the side of her face. Muttering to himself, Harry cast a spell and a silver shimmer of light could be faintly seen growing outwards in a circle like shape.

Neither Ron nor Hermione were sure what Harry had done but it became apparent when Bellatrix tried to dissaparate.

There was a faint pop and she was gone, a split second later she reappeared falling from where the silver light had stopped. Harry had cast an anti-apparation ward! Hermione was stunned.

It was a very complex spell and as far as she knew, Harry had never even read about it.

"Bellatrix, you are going to die today, do you know that." Harry said in a frighteningly calm voiced laced with hatred and contempt.

Bellatrix looked up at Harry and started pulling herself backwards on her hands; one could tell she was quite terrified. One more time, Harry pointed his wand, this time at her heart.

"**Avada..."** He began.

"NOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!" Hermione yelled as she ran towards him.

"**KEDAVRA!**" Harry finished. A sickly jet of bright green light shot forth from the end of his wand and connected solidly with the target. Bellatrix Lestrange was dead.


	2. Elves, Arguements, and a curtain call

"Harry! What have you done? You just killed a person!" Hermione screamed as she reached him.

The adrenalin and the hatred had subsided but surprisingly Harry found he didn't feel bad at all, he had always known that it would come to this, though he didn't like it.

"Hermione, we really don't have a choice anymore. If we just keep stunning them, then they will just keep getting up again and again and we would be overwhelmed and beaten. Azkaban has been proven completely ineffective in holding prisoners. The only choice left is to kill them. Besides, it's not like we are killing innocent people." Harry said in a dead tone of voice.

The look on Hermione's face was unreadable, it was somewhere between fear and acceptance.

"I know Harry, but there are other ways to kill a person besides dark magic." Harry nodded his head, he knew this but when in Rome, he thought.

Ron just stood there, torn between disbelief, awe and revulsion. There was a screech above and Harry looked up to see a magnificent black owl soaring towards him with a letter attached to its leg. As the owl landed on his shoulder, Harry reached up and untied the letter from its leg. The owl took off as soon as the letter was off, telling Harry that the sender had not expected a reply. Opening the letter, Harry read.

_Dear Mr. Potter,_

_Your presence is requested at the reading of one Albus Dumbledore's will on June 13th at 10am at the Diagon Alley Gringotts. If it is convenient for you there are also several other things that we must discuss concerning your inheritance and both the Potter and Black family vaults._

_Griphook_

"Who's it from Harry?" Ron questioned.

"Gringotts. I have to go to Gringotts for the reading of Dumbledore's will tomorrow at 10." Before Harry could say anymore, he felt the air around them become tingly.

"Aurors! Get in the house! Go!" He sprinted towards number 12, only to realize he couldn't see it.

"Hermione!"

"Sorry Harry." She said as she pointed her wand at his head. "Fidelius." Once again able to see the door, Harry turned to both Ron and Hermione.

"I live at Number 12 Grimmauld Place, London."

Turning back around, Harry wrenched open the door and motioned Ron and Hermione in. Harry had no sooner dived in and closed the door when the tell tale pops of apparation could be heard outside. Taking a steadying breath, Harry turned to his friends to see them looking at him questioningly.

"What? I got a boog?" He questioned.

"Harry, how did you know that the Aurors were coming?" Ron asked.

"I'm not sure, I just felt the air get really tingly and somehow I knew that someone was coming." He answered with a non committal shrug of his shoulders, feeling suddenly exhausted.

As Hermione opened her mouth to say something, Harry cut her off, realizing she was probably about to ask some questions that he couldn't answer.

"Guys, I'm tired and I just want to sleep. Can you save the interrogation until tomorrow please?" He said as he made his way past them and down the hall.

The place was just as dingy as it had been the last time he had been here. Going up the stairs, Harry went straight to the bedroom he had shared with Ron the summer before fifth year. Taking the picture of Phinellius Nigellius off the wall so as not to be spied on, Harry made quick work of cleaning the room off all the dust and mold.

Unshrinking his trunk, Harry opened it and quickly searched for his pajamas. After pulling them on, Harry realized they were a good inch and a half short. Noticing that he didn't have any clothes that fit him anymore, plus the huge oversized second hands of Dudley's, he made a mental note that he needed to get some new clothes tomorrow.

Harry was dreaming about riding Buckbeak when they saved Sirius back in third year, when it all changed and he knew he was in Voldemort's head. Once he was aware of where he was and what he was doing there, Harry became surprised that he didn't feel any pain in his scar, not even the slightest twinge.

"Have you found Bellatrix yet Severus?"

Harry/Voldemort asked in that voice like dripping ice water.

"We have my Lord; she was killed outside the headquarters of the Order of the Phoenix." Snape said bowing so low his greasy hair was dragging the ground.

"That is quite impressive, killing Bellatrix. She was an exceptionally powerful witch. But what is done is done.

So what of the other plans Severus?"

"We are preceding very well my lord, we have located..."

"Stop Severus," Voldemort interrupted, "we are not alone, would you like to say hello Harry Potter?"

Harry was caught slightly off guard that Voldemort had detected him but kept quiet.

"Harry it is not nice to ignore your elders." Voldemort snarled as Harry felt him try and force himself into his mind.

Reflexively Harry tried to shield his mind and somehow, it worked. Not giving Voldemort another chance, Harry severed the connection and once again found himself in his bedroom at Grimmauld Place.

After getting up, showering and getting ready, Harry realized it was still early, only about 7. Taking a quick look through the house, Harry realized it would take them months to clean the house and get it into proper living order, months he didn't have. With a thoughtful expression on his face, Harry called out into the darkness.

"Dobby? Winky?" Immediately there were two cracks and both little creatures stood in front of him.

"Harry Potter called Dobby and Winky?" Dobby asked, bouncing on the balls of his feet in excitement.

"Yeah Dobby, I was wondering if you guys would like to work for me. I realize you work for Hogwarts but whatever they are paying you I will double."

Dobby looked like Christmas had come early; he was smiling from ear to ear. Winky too looked happy but a little upset as well.

"What's wrong Winky?" Harry asked, crouching down to her height.

"Winky is not wanting paid Harry Potter sir, Winky wants to be a good house elf with a master."

Harry thought it over for a minute. One on hand it would make Hermione furious if he did it, but on the other hand, it would make Winky happy, and guessing from the look on Dobby's face, it would make him happy too.

"Alright Winky, what do I have to do?"

"Thank you so much Master Harry! All you have to do is say I take thee Winky as my servant." She said with a huge smile on her face.

"I take thee Winky as my servant."

A flash of pale light came forth from Harry's chest as a similar light came from Winky's; the lights met and turned themselves into a spiral before disappearing.

"Could Winky get master some breakfast?"

"Yeah, that would be cool except I don't think there is any food in the house. Dobby, could you pop up to my trunk in my bedroom and grab the money bag. Take the money back to Diagon Alley and get some food for breakfast, not to much because Ron, Hermione and I have to go there this morning anyway so we will pick up some food while we are there. Alright?"

"Yes Harry Potter sir. Dobby will be back as soon as he can." With a crack, Dobby was gone.

Turning back to Winky, Harry asked a question that had been on his mind since he had called the little elves.

"Winky, there is a portrait in the hallway from the front door, would it be possible to try and remove it?"

"Yes Master Harry, Winky will get it off the wall." With a crack, she was gone.

Harry had only taken a dozen steps towards Ron and Hermione's room to wake them when there was a crash from downstairs. Running down the steps, Harry could hear Mrs. Black's portrait screaming but only just because of the other screaming coming from the same direction.

"NASTY FILTHY ELF WILL NOT TOUCH MISTRESS, NO SHE WON'T, I'LL KILL HER FOR IT, I'LL KILL HER AND THEN HER FILTHY HALF-BLOOD MASTER FOR IT, YES KREACHER WILL!"

Harry reached the bottom of the stairs and was momentarily stunned. Kreacher was sitting on Winky's chest, punching her in the face as hard as he could. Feeling his anger grow, Harry forgot he didn't have his wand in his hand, but still reached his hand out towards Kreacher.

"Pulsus!" Blue light shot from his hand and hit Kreacher in the chest, sending him flying back and hitting the wall.

Walking towards Winky, Harry couldn't take the screeching of Mrs. Black anymore.

"SHUT THE FUCK UP!"

Again pointing his hand at the portrait, "Avada Kedavra"!

The death spell shot from his hand and smashed into the portrait, blowing a hole clean through the center and ultimately destroying it.

"FILTHY HALF-BREED KILLED MY MISTRESS! I'LL KILL HIM! I'LL KILL HIM!"

Harry had only just turned around in time to see Kreacher flying through the air towards him. Not thinking, Harry stuck his hand up palm out and Kreacher stopped in mid-air.

Hovering like something invisible was holding him up. The strangest part to Harry was that he could _feel_ Kreacher; he could feel the presence of his body in his magic.

It wasn't like someone normally felt another; it was more like Harry's magic had enveloped Kreacher without a spell, just pure magical power. The anger still bubbling inside of him from seeing Kreacher beating Winky, who was only just now waking up from her unconscious slumber. Harry focused and whipped his hand to the side, sending Kreacher sailing into the wall once more.

Unknown to Harry, both Ron and Hermione had been awakened by the screaming and were standing on the staircase watching the greatest feat of magic that either had ever seen. Quickly tying Kreacher up, Harry looked at him

"Kreacher, I'm going to kill you today, but first I want you to watch this."

Walking out of the hall, they all heard a crash and a moment later Harry walked back into the hallway, followed by the rack of elf heads, coming to a stop in front of a livid Kreacher.

"Incendio."

With a quick flick of his wrist, the heads burst into flame and started burning brightly. Kreacher's face was terrible to look at, it was covered in a mask of fury, but underneath was incredible pain, watching all his ancestors' heads destroyed. Figuring he had drug it out enough, Harry pointed his hand at Kreacher.

"Reducto."

Unlike the previous night when Harry had put all the power into the spell he could muster, Harry only put enough in this one to kill Kreacher. The spell hit Kreacher in the side of the face and exploded the entire left side of his head, killing him almost instantly.

"Evanesco."

The remains of both Kreacher and the elf heads vanished.

"Scurgify."

The bloodstain that had splattered the wall from Kreacher's head exploding vanished, leaving the wall spotless. Rushing over, Harry knelt down next to Winky.

"Winky, are you alright?" Harry asked, concerned. Slowly, Winky got to her feet on wobbly knees, and almost instantly started to fall before Harry caught her.

"Yes I is fine Master Harry, I is just a bit dizzy."

"I want you to take the day off Winky; you can start tomorrow if you are feeling better." Winky looked at Harry in horror.

"Oh No, Master Harry. Winky will start today, Winky is a good elf and there is things to be doing."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes, Master Harry."

Just then there was a crack and Dobby appeared behind Harry. Harry turned around to see Dobby take one look at Winky and a dark look crossed his face.

"Winky, who is doing this to my wife?" Dobby asked, clearly pissed off.

"It was bad elf Kreacher." Dobby, if possible, got even angrier at this. Then he flew off the handle.

"WHERE IS HE, DOBBY WILL KILL THAT FILTHY ELF? KREACHER IS A DEAD ELF."

Harry grabbed a hold of Dobby as he went to run past him, intent on finding Kreacher.

"Dobby, I took care of Kreacher, he won't bother either of you again, ok? Now Winky has insisted that she keep working so I have a job for you guys today. I would like for you to get this house clean. Every room should be livable and homely. I realize that it will probably take more than a day to get it done, but I figure today is as good a day as any. You guys up to it?"

Harry looked at Dobby, who was still mad but had calmed slightly. At the mention of work, Dobby's ears perked up and he quickly nodded his head.

"Alright guys, well we will be leaving here in a little while and I'm not sure what time we will be back so you will probably have most of the day to get started. I would ask that you try and at least get the bedrooms and preferably the kitchen done if you could. Winky do you think that you could possibly make breakfast?"

"Of course Master Harry, I shall get it started now."

"I'll help." Dobby added, and with two cracks, they were gone.

Harry turned back to the stairs to see Ron and Hermione staring at him. Hermione had a look on her face of extreme outrage on her face.

"Harry James Potter! I do not know where to start with you. First you use two of the unforgiveables, then you enslave two elves, after which you KILL the one you already had! What the HELL are you thinking?" Harry felt the now familiar anger bubbling in his stomach.

"Hermione, I am going to say this once and only once so you better fucking listen." Hermione was taken aback, Harry had never cursed at her before.

"You are one of my best friends and I trust you completely, but you are NOT my mother, and if all you are going to do is lecture, then you can get the hell out of my house, and my life. We are in the middle of a WAR. People die in war, mostly people on our side, but I'm not going to hesitate another minute to use unforgiveables if it will end this war soon. I did not enslave anything, I hired Dobby and Winky wanted to become my elf, so I abided by her wishes. And yes, I killed Kreacher; he was going to kill me so I really didn't have any choice."

Hermione looked extremely surprised but soon the surprise was gone and was replaced by an anger that Harry had never seen before. Hermione, however, rounded on Ron.

"RONALD! Are you just gonna stand there and accept that? I know you don't think its right." Ron, who had been looking on passively, turned red at her words.

"First off Hermione, You do NOT know what I think is right, clear? And second, I agree with Harry, this is a war and people will die. We can't and won't win with stunners and body binds. It just won't happen. I'm with Harry one hundred percent." This seemed to only enrage Hermione further.

"Fine, but I will not be a part of this, I'm leaving and I'm going to the Order with this." She said, then turning on her heel, marched up the steps and out of sight.

She returned five minutes later with her trunk hovering behind her. As she reached the door, she shrunk her trunk and put it in her side pocket. Harry turned towards her.

"I'm sorry you feel that way Hermione, but there's one last thing."

"And what's that?" She asked, turning back to him

"Obliviate!"


	3. Gringotts and the battle of Diagon Alley

When the spell struck Hermione, her eyes glazed over and she seemingly went into a trance of some sort. Taking extra precaution, Harry pointed his hand at her.

"Stupify!"

The red light hit Hermione and she crumpled to the ground. Striding over, Harry reached into her pocket and pulled out her trunk.

"Portus."

The trunk gave off a blue glow for a minute and then went back to normal. Placing the trunk in Hermione's hand, a second later she was gone in a rush of wind and sound. He turned and found Ron looking at him.

"What?"

"I don't know how you got so powerful, but it's bloody awesome to watch." Harry just laughed at his friend.

"Why don't you go shower and get dressed, by the time you get back down breakfast will probably be ready."

Forty-five minutes later, they were standing in the beautiful weather outside of Number 12. Grabbing Ron's arm, Harry apparated to the front entrance of Gringotts. Leading the way inside, Harry made his way up to the nearest empty counter.

"Hello, I'm here for the reading of Dumbledore's will."

"Ah, yes Mr. Potter, if you would follow me please."

The goblin led them through a door behind the counter and to a meeting room where Professor McGonagall and the barman of the Hogshead were both already seated. An official looking goblin came in moments later and sat down at the head of the large table.

"My name is Griphook and you are all here for the reading of one Albus Dumbledore's will, correct?" At the nods all around the table, Griphook began.

"If this will is being read, than I am, regrettably, dead and on to the next great adventure. However please do not mourn my loss, I lived a full and happy life and I wish for you all to remember only the good times we had. To my brother Aberforth, I leave the entire contents of my vault and the family estate. To Minerva McGonagall or the current Headmistress/Headmaster of Hogwarts, my entire collection of books. There are some rather rare books in them and I would much love to see them go to the Hogwarts library. To Harry Potter I leave the contents of vault 714 and a letter."

Harry looked up from the table that he had been staring at the entire time at the mention of vault 714. The last time he head heard, that vault had contained the Sorcerer's Stone.

Griphook picked up a key off the top of the table and handed it to Aberforth, then handed the letter to Harry. Harry momentarily wondered why he didn't get a key but remembered that it was a top security vault and only the goblins could open it. Noticing the others getting up to leave, Harry made to stand up.

"Mr. Potter, I have some other things to discuss with you if you have a moment."

"Alright, but is it alright if my friend Ron Weasley comes in, I have a feeling that something is not right."

"Of course, Mr. Potter."

Harry made his way back out to the main hall and returned a minute later with Ron in tow.

"Mr. Potter on the note that I sent you I said that we had things to discuss about both the Black and Potter family vaults, of which you are the heir. As it stands right now, you are the wealthiest wizard in all of Europe." Harry felt his jaw fall open, he had known he was rich but this was way over the top.

"How much money are we talking here?" Harry asked his voice cracking.

"Not including properties and businesses you own and just the money in the vaults, roughly 720,000,000,000. Both the Blacks and Potters were very old wizarding families, but the reason for much of the money can be found in that letter I believe." Harry just sat there dumbstruck. Finally he said the only thing he could think of.

"HOLY FUCKING SHIT BATMAN!"

Griphook gave what could have been a smile, but Harry wasn't sure.

"Alright, um is there anyway we could have all of it put in one vault, that way I don't have to go to all of them to see what I have?"

"Certainly, the Potter family vault is large enough to hold everything. However we cannot place what was left to you in vault 714 in the family vault; it must stay there until you collect it." Nodding, Harry wasn't finished.

"Alright, I want ten million galleons put in a vault for Ronald Weasley, another ten million for the Weasley family vault, ten million to each, Remis Lupin, Nymphadora Tonks, Neville Longbottom and Luna Lovegood."

Harry chanced a look over at Ron and saw his face was starting to get red; cutting him off before he could say something Harry spoke.

"Ron, I'm giving you the money because what you're going to be doing with me is very dangerous and because of it you won't be able to work and therefore won't be able to make any money. Besides you heard how much money I have, it won't bother me in the least." Ron looked like he was going to object, but nodded his head. Harry was right.

"Mr. Potter, it was also stated in Mr. Dumbledore's will that upon his death, you would become a legal adult in the wizarding world."

"Alright, is there anyway I could go down to my vault and get some money?"

"Certainly."

After a quick stop in the Potter family vault, Harry and Ron stepped out into the bright sunshine of Diagon Alley.

"Hey Ron, you wanna get some lunch, I'm hungry."

"I thought you would never ask. I'm starving." They stopped into the Leaky Cauldron, and after ordering their lunch, Harry opened the letter from Dumbledore.

_Dear Harry,_

_If you are reading this then I am unfortunately dead. I'm sorry I left you so soon, though I feel it was inevitable. There were things that I have kept from you for the past 6 years and I had planned on telling you in the coming months but alas, I cannot. So I will tell you here, and hope that you never have to read this letter._

_The night that Voldemort attacked you when you were a baby, when the curse rebound upon him, he transferred much more into you than you could ever realize. I am sure that since my death you have felt an incredible power surge to your magic. This is simply because when the curse rebound, Voldemort gave you an immense amount of power. That is not all, though I wish it were. He transferred all the knowledge of spells and dark magic that he himself knew at the time. The night that I placed you at the doorstep of the Dursleys, I was sure of this, so I bound most of your powers. I did this simply because you now have an immense knowledge of forbidden magic that I could not take the risk of seducing you dark. I am sorry I did not tell you sooner but it was a chance I just could not take. _

_The dark power you possess is matched by the amount of light power you possess. Harry you are the heir of Godric Gryffindor, the most powerful wizard since Merlin. _

_Don't let the dark sway your soul,_

_Dumbledore_

This day had just been full of surprises so far for Harry. After letting Ron read the letter, after which he paled considerably, Harry folded it and put it in his jeans pocket.

"Ron, while you finish your lunch I gotta little errand I gotta run. I'll be back in about half an hour."

"Alright Harry" Ron said as Harry dissapparated with a small pop. Like predicted, a half hour later Harry returned.

"Where did you go?"

"Just making sure we had a little insurance policy is all." Harry replied standing up.

Neither said a word about the letter or the short errand Harry had ran as they made their way out of the Leaky Cauldron and into muggle London. Clothes shopping with Ron turned out to be an entertaining affair. He kept poking the shirts, trying to make the pictures move and getting frustrated when they didn't. They both bought brand new wardrobes and headed to a muggle grocery store.

Lugging all the heavy bags of groceries into the Leaky Cauldron, Harry had Dobby take them back to Grimmauld Place, and they made their way to Weasleys Wizard Wheezes to talk to Fred and George. Ron asked the question he had been dying to ask all day.

"Harry, just what did you obliviate from Hermione's memory?"

"Just the information about the horcruxes and anything linked to that. I didn't need to take the memories of Grimmauld Place, she couldn't tell anyone where it was even if she wanted to so I don't think there is any way she could hurt us." Harry had been looking at Ron and entire time he had been talking and saw Ron visibly pale.

"You didn't get rid of the info that we were gonna be in Diagon Alley today did you?"

Looking at Ron questioningly, Harry followed his eyes and saw half of the order standing in front of them. Moody, Lupin, Tonks, McGonagall, Hermione, Shacklebolt, and Mr. and Mrs. Weasley were all pointing their wands at them.

"Potter, I'm only gonna say this once, your COMING WITH US AND GOING BACK TO THE DURSLEYS, SO DO NOT FIGHT US!" Moody half growled half yelled.

Harry, however, only laughed.

"Didn't you feel like enough of an ass yesterday Moody, you came back for more. And I thought I already answered that question, no I'm not going back so just piss off."

Harry knew that they wouldn't just walk away, so he drew his wand, not wanting them to see his new wandless magic. Ron, likewise, pulled out his wand.

"RONALD WEASLEY, YOU PUT THAT WAND AWAY RIGHT NOW OR I SWEAR TO MERLIN I WILL CURSE YOU MYSELF." Ron paled even more at the threat but only tightened his grip on the wand.

"Harry, don't do this, we don't want to curse you but you must go back to the Dursleys until your birthday. You can't even legally do magic and we both know that with your record if the ministry gets word that you've don't underage magic, they will be here in a heartbeat and will break your wand. So just put down your wand, you too Ron."

"Yeah I can do magic, or didn't you know that Dumbledore had me emancipated?"

"Albus would have told us if he did something like that Potter, so just put it down and step away from it." McGonagall said, speaking for the first time.

"He didn't and I won't. Now I'm tiring of this game so you have two choices here, piss off or attack us. And I will tell you that if you attack us, I will use everything and anything I can against you."

Diagon Alley was completely deserted, which wasn't surprising with people being so scared of being attacked by Death Eaters. Moody took a look at all of the other order members and they seemed to come to a conclusion.

"Stupify!" Eight voices cried out at the same time.

"Protego!"

Harry said in a bored tone, stepping in front of Ron. The stunners bounced harmlessly off the powerful shield, but neither Ron nor Harry waited for the second volley.

"Pulsus!"

"Stupify"

The order hadn't gotten their shields up in time and Harry's spell connected with Shacklebolt, sending him soaring backwards while Ron's struck Tonks and knocked her unconscious.

"I WILL NOT STAND HERE AND TRADE SPELLS WITH A TEENAGER! IMPERIO!" Moody had done it, he had used an unforgivable.

The other order members didn't looked surprised so Harry figured this had been an option if he didn't go quietly. The spell hit Harry in the chest, but did absolutely nothing.

"So we are using unforgivables now huh Moody? Well I'm down with that. Cruico!" The red beam blasted straight through Moody's hastily conjured shield and the old man went down screaming.

All but Ron looked at Harry with horror-struck looks, but Harry paid no heed. Pulling his wand up, Harry ended the spell.

"If you do not leave now, the next spell I launch will be the killing curse, so if you all enjoy your lives then you should leave."

"You wouldn't! Remus objected.

"Remus, you are the only link I have left to my family, but right now you are standing in the way of the only chance the world has of killing Voldemort. If it means I have to kill all of you to get rid of that bastard, than that's a sacrifice I'm willing to make." Moody had made it back to his feet, and he was livid.

"You fucking asshole! Avada Kedavra!" The spell was shot at Harry but he ducked down just in the nick of time.

"AVADA KEDAVRA!" This killing curse hit its mark, killing Moody instantly. But it wasn't Harry who had cast the curse, it was Ron.

"RONALD, WHAT HAVE YOU DONE, YOU JUST MURDERED AN INNOCENT MAN!"

The rage flying from Molly Weasley was more intense than Harry had ever seen, but it was matched by Ron's. Before he could say anything, Tonks cut him off.

"Mr. Weasley I am afraid I'm going to have to place you under arrest for the murder of Alastor Moody."

"BULLSHIT, HE TRIED TO KILL HARRY AND YOU ALL KNOW IT. IN FACT, YOU ALL FUCKING STARTED THIS BLOODY SHIT. WE WERE ON OUR WAY HOME AND YOU ATTACKED US. SO BRING IN A _REAL _AUROR TONKS, I MEAN ONE THAT IS WORTH A DAMN CAUSE YOUR KLUTZY ASS OBVIOUSLY ISN'T AND SHACKLEBOLT IS JUST A STOOGE. SO I SWEAR TO GOD IF YOU TRY ANY OF THIS BULLSHIT I WILL KILL YOU IN A FUCKING HEARTBEAT!"

Harry had _never _seen Ron like this, and it was obvious that neither of the others had as well because they were all completely speechless.

"I agree with Mr. Weasley." A man said, stepping out of the shadows. All there gave a gasp, except Harry. It was the Minister of Magic Rufus Scridgemore.

"Mr. Weasley was only protecting himself and Mr. Potter." He said with a nod towards Ron.

"Sir, Harry Potter used an unforgivable, I insist he be arrested. This is not the first time he had used one either, he used both the killing curse and the cruciatus last night against Bellatrix Lestrange."

Harry would never forgive Hermione for that, she was trying to have him arrested! So much for best friend.

"Yes Ms. Granger I know. Harry Potter has been pardoned for his actions against Lestrange, and he was perfectly within the law to use an unforgivable here tonight. He has been given the proper paperwork for it, seeing as how he is the chosen one after all."

Harry smiled, making the deal with Scridgemore to allow him to use Harry's name every once in a while in return for allowed use of unforgiveables for himself and Ron had been a very good deal.

He didn't like the fact that he had had to tell the minister about the horcruxes but it was necessary. Though he had not done so without making sure the minister took a wizards oath never to mention it to anyone until the war was over before he did so.

"Now," the minister continued, "I must insist that you all leave now or I will have you arrested for attempted assault. As for you, Tonks and Shacklebolt, you are both fired for going against Ministry guidelines and being involved in the Order of the Phoenix. Now I will bid you all a goodnight." With a slight pop, the minister was gone.

"You killed Bellatrix?" Remus asked.

"Yes." Was Harry's simple reply.

"Ronald, come on, come home, I don't want you around this killer at all. He's going dark and I can see it." Mr. Weasley's words stung Harry quite badly, but he would have to live with it.

"No, and incase you've forgotten I'm a killer too. And Harry is not going dark anymore than I am."

"Then I must insist you never call the burrow your home again. Ever. You are an adult and you can do what you please, but if you do not come home with us now, you will never be allowed in our house again." Ron looked as if his father has slapped him but the pain quickly turned to anger.

"You'd do that, just because I don't agree with you? Then fine, I really don't care right now. There are more important things. You have just lost your second son."

"Fourth actually, young Ronnikins." George said striding up and putting his arm around Ron.

"Yup, watched the whole thing from our front window, and I agree with what Harry and Ron did. If you're gonna kick Ron out of the family because he disagrees with you, and that coming home and hiding is more safe then finding and killing Voldemort, then you can consider us out too." Fred added putting his arm around Harry's shoulders.

Now it was Mr. Weasleys turn to look as if he had been slapped, he had just lost half his family. This was the last thing Harry wanted, he was breaking up the most loving family he had ever met, but he kept silent, this was between them.

The order began to leave one by one, until it was only the Weasleys and Hermione left back. With one last tearful glance at their sons, the Weasleys were gone. Hermione, however, wasn't done.

"You are going dark Harry, and I swear I will kill you if I have to. I will not let another Dark Lord take over, even if he is one of my best friends."

"I think we've already been over the fact that I'm NOT going dark, and I'm not your best friend anymore Hermione. If you think you are capable of killing me then go ahead and try. I dare you." Hermione just shook her head and turned around to walk away.

The boys likewise turned back towards the twins shop.

"Reducto Maxima!"

Harry spun around in time to see a maroon beam of light coming straight for his face, without thinking, Harry put his hand up and the spell went flying to the side, as if it had hit a shield, but Harry had said nothing.

Taking quick steps towards Hermione, Harry reached out with his magic and lifted her off her feet. She hung in mid air with a look of supreme surprise on her face. Harry snapped his wrist to the right and Hermione went flying through the air and crashed in to the side of Eyelops Owl Emporium.

She managed to get to her feet a minute later only to find herself again flying through the air and this time she smashed _through_ the wall of the Quibbler. Climbing through the wreckage that was once the wall, Harry found Hermione boarding on consciousness. Once again picking her up with his magic, Harry looked into her eyes.

"Hermione, you seen and just felt a fraction of what I can do; now if you ever try and attack me again, I will kill you. Understood?" She nodded her head the tiniest fraction, but Harry took it as a yes.

Grabbing a quill off the nearest desk, Harry tapped it with his wand.

"Portus."

Putting it in Hermione's hand, she was gone. Harry made his way back to the others to see them looking at him in awe.

"How the hell did you do that Harry?" George asked. Harry laughed.

"I'll tell you some other time, but right now I wanna get back home, I'm hungry and I'm tired."

"Ditto." Ron voiced, and with two very faint pops, they were gone.


	4. The Cup and A new ability

The morning after the clash with the Order, Harry and Ron could be found in the kitchen of Number 12 Grimmauld Place eating a delicious breakfast that Winky had prepared.

The previous night after getting home and grabbing a bite to eat, Harry had headed to bed. He lay awake for most of the night going over every detail of the memories that Dumbledore had shown him.

His thoughts had continuously gone to the orphanage that Riddle had grown up in. He felt a strong pull towards the old building and it was slightly frightening, could it be that he was feeling Voldemort's soul; Dumbledore had said that Riddle had put much more into Harry then either of them had realized.

After thinking that over for a while he had gotten up and pulled out the letter from Dumbledore and read it again and again. He had just laid it down when he noticed the writing on the back of the paper that hadn't been there before.

_Harry,_

_This part of my letter to you is charmed to only appear when you are alone. I never got the chance to tell you exactly how to destroy a horcrux, and I know that it is a very valuable piece of information. The simplest way to destroy one is a simple killing curse. When I destroyed the ring I chose not to use Avada Kedavra because I simply didn't have the hate to pull it off, so I went a different route and tried to use a reducto, the spell rebound and hit my hand, the effects of which you have seen. I eventually had to use avada kedavra, much to my displeasure. I had only used the spell once before, on Grindlewald in the 40's and I had hoped never to do so again. _

_I'm sure that the representative of Gringotts that was the reader of my will informed you of your emancipation. After your parents were killed and Sirius was sent to Azkaban, I was your legal guardian in the wizarding world._

_Also, I'm assuming you were surprised when you heard just how much money you inherited. Since you are the heir of Godric Gryffindor, the richest wizard who has ever lived, your family has always been wealthy. You also own an island on the black sea, an estate in Wales, the Potter estate in northern Scotland and most of Diagon Alley. I would suggest you look into a business manager, I believe the goblins would be more than happy to help, for a fee. _

_The destiny that falls on your shoulders is a burden that very few could ever carry. I am sorry that I could not be of more help but I believe in you and I know that you will do all you can to end Tom Riddle's reign of terror. _

_Good luck and God bless,_

_Dumbledore_

Harry was pulled out of his thoughts when Ron hit him the head with a piece of bacon.

"Oi! What the hell?" Harry said, rubbing the grease off his glasses.

"I said, what's the plan for today. You kept ignoring me and I was too lazy to get up and poke you."

"Oh, well I keep feeling like we need to go to the orphanage that Riddle grew up in. I think it would be seen as a very important place for him, it's where he learned he was a wizard so id think he would want to mark it with a horcrux." Ron nodded and munched on a piece of toast thoughtfully.

"How are we gonna get there though?"

"I'll apparate us there. I remember the memory of it that Dumbledore showed me and I don't think it will be a problem to apparate there as long as I can visualize it. Speaking of apparating, when I was at the ministry yesterday I scheduled an appointment for us to take our tests tomorrow." Ron didn't look too pleased at having to take the test again.

After they had finished eating and got dressed, they headed out.

As they began the walk across the street to the alley to apparate, Harry distinctly got the feeling they were being watched, silently he poked Ron.

"We got a tail." Ron turned around and looked.

"Where, I don't see anyone." Harry looked behind him and saw Tonks standing on the sidewalk next to Number 12.

"Its Tonks, she's standing right near the door to the house. Can't you see her?" After taking a quick peek, Ron shook his head. Harry quickly turned and lifted his hand.

"Stupify" He said very clearly.

As the jet shot from his hand, he saw a look of disbelief on Tonks face that he didn't understand. Harry made his way over to Tonks and saw why Ron hadn't been able to see her; she had been wearing an invisibility cloak. When had he developed the ability to see through them?

"Incarcerous." Thick robes shot from his hand and wound themselves tightly around Tonks.

Levitating her into the alley, Harry set up an anti-apparation and anti-portkey ward, just to make sure she couldn't get away, once he was sure they were in place, he woke her.

"Why are you following us?" Tonks looked at him in surprise, and her shock grew as she realized she was bound.

"Harry, unbind me right now or I swear to god."

"Why were you following us?" He asked again.

"For your safety, Voldemort is going to be after you in full force now that Dumbledore is gone and you are being to arrogant to realize the danger you are putting yourself and Ron in." Harry felt a tinge of annoyance, after last night he figured the order would realize he could defend himself.

"Tell me Tonks, does it look like I need protecting? Hmm?"

"Yes, last night you only got your way because the minister showed up, and today it was only a lucky shot that you hit me with your stunner."

"No, I could have killed each and every one of you lot last night if I had wanted to, but I didn't. And it wasn't a lucky shot, I could see you." Tonks looked at him incredulously and snorted.

"Yeah, sure you could Harry, the only person that can see through invisibility cloaks is Moody...was Moody, thanks to you two."

"I'm not gonna stand around and argue with you all day, we've got places to go and people to kill, and your not coming with us." Tonks looked surprised at the mention of killing people but then her face became dark.

"You are headed down a dangerous path. I can already see you going dark. You throw around cruico like it's a tickling hex."

"How many times am I going to have to repeat myself to you people? Listen carefully Tonks, I AM NOT GOING DARK. That, however, does not mean I won't use unforgiveables."

"Harry, you almost killed your best friend last night. She showed up at the infirmary unconscious."

"Well that was of her own doing. She tried to kill me with a reducto and I reacted. And she is not my best friend, my best friend is right here." He said as he put his hand on Ron's shoulder.

"Ron has stood by me through all of this and hasn't once tried to kill me."

"Whatever, I'm out of here." Tonks closed her eyes in concentration and there was a faint pop.

A second later she reappeared falling from where the anti-apparation ward ended. She landed hard on the ground with an umph!

"It's probably not the best idea to try and apparate where there is an anti-apparation ward in place Tonks, especially one as strong as mine." Ron was doubled over laughing and it was all Harry could do to keep the grin off his face.

"You know how to do anti-apparation wards?"

"I know a lot of things Tonks." Harry whispered to himself for a minute and then felt the wards fall. "Well, as I said before, we've got places to be. Later."

Grabbing Ron's arm, there was a faint pop, and they were gone, leaving a surprised Tonks behind.

They reappeared behind the old building that had once been Tom Riddles home. Walking around to the front, Harry took in the drastic decline in the building over the last fifty years.

Shaking his head to clear the unnecessary thoughts, Harry made his way up to the front door. Pulling on the handle, Harry found it locked.

"Here let me," Ron said. "Alohomora."

The locked clicked and Harry pushed the door open. Stepping inside, Harry could immediately feel a presence of very strong magic and a sickening presence as well, all coming from upstairs. Without knowing how he knew, Harry knew it was coming from Tom Riddles old room.

"It's here, upstairs in Riddles old bedroom." Harry said, turning around to see Ron looking like he was gonna be sick. "You can feel that too then?"

"Yeah, what the bloody hell is it, it's making me sick to my stomach, I think I'm gonna hurl."

"I'm not sure but I think its Voldemort's soul. What I don't understand is I never felt this with the diary, and I doubt you did either."

When Ron shook his head, Harry had an idea hit him like a rampaging hippogriff, but knew that it would have to wait until later. Motioning Ron to follow him, Harry made his way over to the staircase and up to the second floor.

With every step the duo took, that sickening feeling worsened until they were standing on the outside of the room that used to be Tom Riddles when he was a boy. Pushing open the door, the feeling tripled and Ron fell to the ground, clutching his stomach, losing his breakfast.

Harry, somehow, managed to stay on his feet. Looking into the room, he saw hundreds of snakes crawling on the floor. Over in the corner, he could see the wardrobe that Dumbledore had once set on fire, so long ago. There was a golden glow coming from within the closed doors of the wardrobe, telling Harry that what he was looking for was in there. He turned back to the snakes.

"_Let me pass and I will spare your lives." _He hissed in parseltongue. The snakes stopped their hissing and looked up at him. The biggest one in the room, a twenty foot cobra, stuck its neck out and extended itself up until it was eye to eye with Harry.

"_You dare threaten us! You may speak our language but you are not our master. Though, since you do speak our language, we will spare your life if you leave now." _The snake hissed back angrily.

Turning back to Ron, Harry spoke in English.

"We are going to have to fight them, do you think you can pull yourself together long enough to cast some spells?"

"Yeah, but what spells. I'm assuming stupify would be a tad bit useless since there are so many of them. You would only get off a couple of them before they had bitten you."

"Same with the Killing curse. A blasting curse would be best but with the shape this place is in it and the power of our spells; I think it would collapse the floor. Well on second thought, that's not a bad idea. A simple repairo would fix the floor and the snakes would fall down to the first floor."

Harry thought for a minute and then spoke again.

"Alright here's the plan, we reducto the snakes and hope the floor will collapse. As soon as most of the snakes are gone, I'll repairo the floor and you pick off the ones that are left with whatever curses you can think of. I think that the snakes that fall will haul ass to get back up here so we won't have a whole lot of time, so while you are finishing the rest of the snakes, ill grab the horcrux and we can get the fuck outta here. One three, one...two...three!"

On three they both quickly drew their wands and spun around, the snakes noticed this and started towards them.

"Reducto!" They cried in unison.

The spell that shot from Harry's wand was almost as big as the one he had used against the Death Eaters on Grimmauld Place. Ron's, likewise, was much larger then it normally was. The twin beams of red light slammed into the throng of snakes and blew many of them apart and continued through their bodies and into the floor. There was a slight explosion and the floor gave way, taking most of the snakes with it.

"Repairo!" Harry said. The floor repaired itself in a matter of seconds and Harry started to cross the room.

"Sectumsempra!"

The nearest snake that had reared up to strike. Harry could hear Ron casting curses behind him but didn't look back. Reaching the wardrobe, Harry threw open the doors and was momentarily blinded by the intensity of the golden light.

Reaching in, Harry felt his hands wrap around what appeared to be a goblet. Pulling it out of the wardrobe, Harry found it to indeed be a goblet, Hufflepuff's cup to be more exact. Harry stood there staring at the cup until he was startled out of his daze by a yell from Ron.

"Harry what the bloody hell are you doing? We don't have time for you to be admiring that damn thing, those blasted snakes are outside the door and they are obviously pissed."

Harry glanced over to the door, at which Ron was pointing his wand and could see that it was starting to crack from the repeated blows of the snakes trying to get in. Harry was thinking about apparating himself and Ron out when he realized that there were wards in place to stop them from escaping that way.

"Ron, I can't apparate us out!" Harry said as he walked over to his friend.

"Oh hell!" The door gave another crash and a chunk broke free and the face of the cobra could be seen. Suddenly Harry knew how they could get away. The thought itself was ridiculous but somehow, Harry knew he could do it.

"Ron do you trust me?" He yelled over the beating on the door.

"What? Of course I do Harry."

"Alright then hold on. REDUCTO!"

The wall nearest them blew apart as if dynamite had been placed there. He grabbed Ron under the armpits and took off running towards the hole in the wall. They were ten feet from it when the door finally gave in and a hundred snakes came swarming in, catching up to them quickly.

Just as the snakes caught up with them, Harry jumped out the hole, still hanging onto Ron, and they began to fall twenty feet.

They were about to slam into the ground when, incredibly, they were flying down the street and the orphanage was fifty yards behind them. Harry Potter could fly.


	5. The Myth

Harry touched down in a back alley of a forgotten part of town.

"Harry, uh, what the bloody hell was that? How long have you been able to fly? How are you ABLE to fly?"

"I don't know. When I realized that we couldn't apparate somehow I just knew that I could fly. I don't know how I can do it but I can I guess. It's something I really think we should look into. That and I've noticed your spells have become much stronger in the last few days. Do you know if Diagon Alley has a library? I seriously doubt the Black family library has anything about it."

"Yeah, Hermione dragged me there summer before third year. It's right down the street from Fred and Georges shop."

"Alright, well it's only about three so I figure we should go there and look into this. It's really starting to kind of freak me out."

Ron nodded, truth be told, he wanted to know just as bad as Harry. He too had noticed the abrupt surge of power in his spells.

Harry apparated them directly in front of WWW, seeing as how he had never seen the shop and didn't want to risk them ending up a hundred miles away. Ron took the lead and led them a few stores down and through the front doors of a building that rivaled Gringotts size. Harry wondered how he had ever missed this huge building in all the time he had spent in Diagon Alley.

They stopped at one of the tables and set down their things, Harry's bag still containing the live horcrux.

"What are you going to do with that?" Ron asked, motioning to the cup.

"As soon as we get home I'm going to try and destroy it." Harry said with a glance at the cup. "I think we should start looking in books pertaining to Gryffindor. Dumbledore's note said that I was the heir of Gryffindor so that's as good a place to start as any."

They spent hours searching the enormous selection of books on Godric Gryffindor. Harry had just returned to the shelf to return on of them and grab another, when a book in the section to the left of Gryffindor's books, which was devoted to all the founders together, when one particular book caught his eye, titled _Unverified Founders._

Crouching down, Harry grabbed it and made his way back to the table where Ron was sitting. He had only been thumbing through the book a few minutes when one particular section caught his eye.

_Rowena Ravenclaw was known as one of the world's best known seers and made a prediction the night that Slytherin left the castle. The prediction goes as follows. When the world is dark and in the midst of a war of dark vs. evil, the heirs of the snake and the lion will lead. The snake will perform unspeakable acts to gain immortality and on the path will give the heir of the lion the necessary tools to defeat him and end the war. The snake will inadvertently create the most powerful human to walk the earth in thousands of years. His powers will be exponential and will not be bound to the earth. The lion will face many trials in his life, but one will stand beside him and gain power and strength through it all. The prediction was believed to pertain to Albus Dumbledore and Jason Grindlewald in the early forties. Grindlewald had created a horcrux, as stated in the prediction, to gain immortality. The truth behind the Dark War will never be known exactly, as the only surviving man that was in that chamber the day Grindlewald died, Albus Dumbledore, is not talking. We shall never know._

Harry showed the passage to Ron whose eyes got larger the further down he read.

"I think this is it Ron, this explains a lot of things. Like why I can fly and your increased power." Ron looked like he was shocked speechless. After a minute, he finally managed to find the ability to talk.

"Harry, I've heard this story before. Well, not exactly like this one is put but same thing almost. It's a story my mum used to tell me before bed. That there was destined to be a wizard who was as powerful as Merlin, and he would protect the wizarding world from harm. The wizard was supposedly able to fly and cast spells with his hands. I never in a million years would have ever thought it true." Now it was Harry's turn to look shocked.

"Well, I think we've pretty much found what we came for." Harry said, looking down at the book. "But while we are here, I think we should take the time to grab some spell books. I know a lot of spells from what Voldemort transferred to me that night, but it would still be nice to find some more, especially since you only know the basics."

They spent the ensuing hour searching the shelves for spell books. When they finally returned to the table, there was an impressive pile of nearly forty books stacked on it.

"Well, I think that's enough for now. The library at home has tons of Dark Arts books."

After checking out the books, the librarian gave them a very stern looking when asking if they would be able to keep track off all the books, reminding them of Madam Prince, and shrinking them, they placed them in their bag along with the horcrux and headed out into Diagon Alley.

When they apparated back to the alley across from Grimmauld Place, Harry immediately felt a presence of another wizard there.

"Ron, someone else is here. Use whatever spells you need to." Harry spun around the corner and came face to face with Remis Lupin. Harry was about to stun him when Remus spoke.

"I'm not here for a fight Harry; I'm just here to talk. Do you think it would be alright if I came in to the house and spoke with you a few minutes?"

Harry looked him up and down, trying to decide weather to trust him or not. After checking to make sure there weren't listening charms on him, Harry nodded and lead the way to the front door.

"I, Harry Potter, live at Number 12 Grimmauld Place, London."

Harry turned back and opened the front door. Dobby and Winky had made an extreme impact on the whole feel of the house in the short time they had been there. The walls were all painted a brighter color, the carpets were replaced, and the overall feel of the house had turned to homey.

"Well, I love what you've done with the place Harry." Harry nodded and led the aging werewolf into the sitting room, where all the furniture had been replaced and a roaring fire was dancing in the fireplace. Remus sat on the couch, while Ron and Harry sat in chairs across from him.

"So what did you want to talk about Remus?" Harry asked.

"I'm concerned about you Harry, the whole order is. You are using Dark Magic, attacking people who are only trying to help you, and you've killed a person. You really do need to go back to the Dursleys, for at least a couple weeks. You are putting others in danger because you simply don't want to have to deal with your family."

"Well Remus, I don't need you or the order being concerned about me, I can take care of myself quite nicely. Yes I'm using dark magic and if the order were smart, they would start doing the same, because simple stunners are not going to end this war. Just because one uses dark magic doesn't mean they are evil. I attacked the order and Hermione because they attacked me, you included. If you would only mind your own business and keep outta mine we wouldn't have clashed in Diagon Alley, so you have only yourself to blame for that. And I've actually killed three people this week, Bellatrix, and Crabbe and Goyle Sr. Now for the last part; I will only say this one more time. I WILL NOT GO BACK TO THE DURSLEYS. It just won't happen, and the next person who says I should, will suffer dearly." Harry replied.

"But Harry..."

"No, Remus. Now you have over stayed your welcome, so I will bid you a goodnight."

Harry stood up and called for Dobby. "Dobby, will you show Remus to the door please?"

"Of course Master Harry. After you's mister Lupin." Remus stood and headed towards the study door, at the last second he turned.

"Oh, and if I were you I would be careful, since you bested Hermione she has been obsessed with reading and learning all the spells she can find, I think she's going to try and kill you."

"Well if I were you, I would suggest to her not to try it. The last time I was very lenient in that I let her live. If she tries to kill me again, well, Hermione will cease to exist." Remus's face went white as ash and he turned and left.

"I think we should destroy the horcrux now. That way we know nothing can go wrong." Harry said to Ron.

"Alright, where do you want to do it?" Ron asked as he grabbed the bag.

"Basement dining room would probably be best. Lots of room."

The duo made their way into the dining room and Ron placed the goblet on the table, the sickening sensation coming back full force as it left the protections of the bag.

"Alright stay back and put up the strongest shield you can, I don't want anything going wrong. Okay, ready? Avada Kedavra!"

The green light struck the goblet head on. There was a moment where nothing happened, then all of a sudden an ear splitting scream filled the room. The scream lasted for less then a minute, and then it was over. The goblet stood on the table, looking no worse for wear. Another part of Voldemort's soul was gone, back in hell where it deserved to be.


	6. The Final Straw

Harry and Ron spent the better part of the next week reading and learning all the new spells they could get their hands on. They had gone and taken their apparation test and both passed with flying colors, especially Harry, who could now apparate without making a sound.

Harry had lain awake every night thinking about that prediction Rowena Ravenclaw had made. Truth be told, the amount of power he could now summon, was scaring the hell out of him. Everyday his power was growing and while Ron thought it was very cool, Harry thought it frightening. When Remus had told him that Hermione was very likely to try and kill him, Harry hadn't spared it a second thought until he was lying in his bed that night. Could he actually kill Hermione if he had to? Could he kill the girl who had stood by him for seven years? He didn't know if he could or not. But if it came down to it, he would do what he felt he had to.

Like Harry, Ron's spells were becoming more and more powerful with everyday. While they were no where near as powerful as Harry's, they were still quite a force to be reckoned with. He was also advancing in his apparation. He now only made the tiniest of pops when he apparated.

A week after the destruction of the horcrux, Harry and Ron could be found strolling down Diagon Alley. After returning the books to the library, they had started back towards WWW.

"Hey Ron, I want to stop at Gringotts for a few minutes. Dumbledore said that it would probably be best for me to get a business manager and I think he was right. If I own half as many properties as he said I did, then I need someone to be able to keep a watch on them." Harry had told Ron about the second part of Dumbledore's letter the night after he had read it.

"That's fine with me; I was hoping to get some money out of my vault today anyway. I was thinking that we should get some new brooms too. There may be times when we won't be able to apparate and though you can fly, I still think it would be a good idea to have a backup plan." Harry looked at Ron, temporarily shocked. Why hadn't he thought of that?

"Yeah that's actually an excellent idea. I have my Firebolt that Sirius gave me, but I don't want to risk the only thing I have left from him." Harry led the way through the doors and to the nearest goblin.

"Hello, my name is Harry Potter and I was told that I am the owner of quite a lot of properties. I was wondering if there was anyway that I could get a business manager."

"Of course, Mr. Potter. If you would please wait here I will get the manager of the personal business department. One minute please."

The goblin turned and walked out of sight, only to return less than a minute later with a much older looking goblin.

"Mr. Potter, if you and Mr. Weasley would please follow me."

Harry turned and looked at Ron, wondering how the goblin had known his name. Chalking it up to one of those things about goblins he would never understand, Harry followed.

The goblin led them down a hallway behind the giant desk, and Harry was certain this was the same way he had gone to hear Dumbledore's will. They stopped after a few moments and stepped into a spacious office. The goblin sat behind the desk and Harry and Ron sat in chairs facing him.

"Mr. Potter, my name is Ragnok and if it is agreeable for you, I will be your business manager." At Harry's nod, Ragnok continued. "The fee for personal business management of properties and vaults, its fifty galleons a month. Now, I assume you may have some questions, yes?"

"Yes, I was informed that I own properties including an island on the Black Sea, an estate in Wales, the Potter Estate in Northern Scotland, the Black Estate here in London, and a few shops here in Diagon Alley, is that correct."

"It is. When Mr. Dumbledore died, I took the liberty of looking into exactly all of what you inherited, expecting you to need a helping hand. All of the properties you mentioned are in fact owned by you, as well as a few you did not mention. You own more than a few shops in Diagon Alley, Including Eyelops, Weasley Wizarding Wheezes, Flourish and Blotts, Quality Quidditch Supplies, Madam Milkins, and the Leaky Cauldron. These shops pay a rental fee that is directly added to your vault once a month. Also, you are the owner of a plot of land in Godric's Hollow which your parent's cottage once stood upon." To say Harry was surprised would be an understatement, he was floored.

"Um, alright. Well just keep the Diagon Alley shops running the way they are, except for Weasley Wizarding Wheezes. I would like to give that property to the owners. Is there anyway to have the title transferred to Fred and George Weasley?"

"Yes, I can have it ready by the time you leave here today." He called in another goblin, which Harry assumed was his assistant, and after muttering to him for a few minutes, the assistant left. "Now, I will personally make sure your properties are handled exactly the way you have instructed. Is there any other business you needed conducted today?"

"Yeah, Ron and I would like to make some with drawls from our accounts."

"Of course, if you would please follow me."

The trip to the vaults was uneventful and soon the duo was striding out the doors of Gringotts, and back into the near deserted alley. They headed towards WWW so that Harry could give Fred and George the deed to the property.

"Well if it isn't the next dark lord and his faithful sidekick little Ronnikins." Fred quipped as they entered the shop.

"Oh, blow it out your arse, Fred." Ron replied his neck and ears a violent shade of red.

"Hey, where's George, I have something for you two." Harry said, glancing behind the counter to the backroom.

"Did someone ring?" George asked, as he made his way through a door to the right of the counter.

"Yeah, we were just at Gringotts and they told me that you guys rented the store, I thought that you owned it."

"Nope, didn't have near enough galleons to buy a piece of real estate as prime as this one." Fred said.

"No, dear brother we didn't, though we have been saving up so that we could buy the place from the chap that owns it, once we find out who he is."

"Well, I don't think you're going to have to do that, see I own this building, half of Diagon Alley to be exact." Harry said, placing the deed to the shop on the counter. Fred and Georges eyes went round as saucers as they read the piece of parchment.

"No wayསྩ Harry, I swear if this is some kind of joke, I'm going to hang you upside down by your toenails."

"Na, it's not a joke." Harry said with a chuckle.

After a bit of chit chat, and a look at the twins' newest inventions, Harry and Ron made their way out of the shop. As soon as Harry stepped out of the door, he became immediately aware of other people, but as soon as he heard the voices, he knew that he had let his guard down.

"Stupify!" No less then twenty voices rang out. Harry momentarily saw a barrage of red flying toward him, before the darkness over took him.

When Harry awoke, he wasn't sure exactly where he was. He reflexively reached to his left and found his glasses. Slipping them onto his nose, Harry's surroundings immediately came into focus. With a burst of anger, Harry realized where he was, the cupboard under the stairs at Number 4 Privet Drive.

He glimpsed a piece of parchment out of the corner of his eye, and he reached over and began to read. His anger mounting with every word.

_Dear Harry,_

_I am sorry that it came to this but there was no other way. You refused to listen to reason so we had to take action. As you are no doubt aware by now, you are back at the Dursleys. We placed you in that cupboard because it was easier to secure. We have sealed the door and installed a flap for your meals to be slid through. Your wand has been taken so as to not give you the chance to escape. We did not want to do this, but it is for the better for all. Ron has been taken back to the burrow and is under similar circumstances. We will be arriving on your birthday in two weeks to pick you up and transport you back to Hogwarts will you will spend the remainder of your summer. I hope that you will use the time to realize the mistakes you have made and the lives that you have put in jeopardy. _

_Sincerely,_

_Remus Lupin_

Harry, after so much pressure and so many manipulations of his life, snapped. Standing up, Harry aimed his hand towards the door of the cupboard.

"Bombarda!" The door exploded into a thousand pieces. He stepped out into the hallway and came face to face with the Dursleys.

"BOY! WHAT HAVE YOU DONE? YOU LITTLE FREAK! THAT'S IT! IM GOING TO FUCKING KILL YOU." Vernon Dursley came rushing towards him, his hands outstretched as if to strangle Harry. Harry didn't spare him a second thought.

"Cruico." The extremely painful curse was said in a very soft voice, a soft voice laced with hatred and contempt and pain.

The spell struck Vernon mid chest and sent him down screaming. Harry held the curse for over a minute until the front door was blasted in and a dozen members of the Order of the Phoenix raced in. Harry recognized a handful of them including Tonks, Remus, Shacklebolt, Hestia Jones and Mundungus Fletcher. Harry was pissed that they still let that thief in after he had stolen half of Sirius's possessions.

"Stupify!" A dozen red jets of light raced towards him.

"Protego." Harry's conjured shield reflected the blows in all different directions.

Suddenly, Harry didn't care weather or not he killed them. They had imprisoned him when they had no right, attacked him on three occasions now, and he was sick of it. He raised both his hands, and starting shooting curses as fast as he could, and was surprised when spells came out of both hands.

"Avada Kedavra! Sectumsempra! Reducto! Avada Kedavra! Bombarda!" Down went four of the people Harry didn't know, and Hestia Jones had a whole blown clean through her chest, killing her instantly. The remaining order members looked shocked but Harry paid no attention, instead he launched his second volley.

"Avada Kedavra! Avada Kedavra. Neco! Neco! Neco!" The neco spell had been an ancient form of Avada Kedavra that Harry had found in one of the oldest books in the Black family library.

The other three that Harry didn't know went down, dead. As well as Shacklebolt and Fletcher. Harry stood there, panting, staring at the remaining two members.

"Leave or die." Harry said simply. Tonks looked more than angry. Remus however, looked like he was going to be sick. Remus had just opened his mouth to respond, when Tonks took action.

"Avada Kedavra!"

The spell shot forward and hit Harry in the side as he attempted to dive away. The spell shot him backwards and threw a wall where he landed at the feet of his aunt and cousin, who had been hiding in the living room.

When the spell had hit Harry, he had expected the next thing he would see would be his parents, but somehow, he survived a second killing curse. He hurt all over and he was very groggy, but it was clearing up abnormally fast. He heard Remus and Tonks arguing in the hallway.

"Tonks! What have you done?"

"He just killed ten people Remus! He had to be stopped! You know as well as I do that if I hadn't done that, if he had beaten Voldemort, he would only have taken his place. His face had no expression as he just killed all of our friends."

"I know, but what if it's true and he was the only one that could stop Voldemort? You might have just killed the last chance the wizarding world had at survival."

The pain Harry had been feeling had passed and he stood up, he made his way back through the hole in the wall, neither Remus nor Tonks had seen him.

"No, she didn't."

Both Tonks and Remus turned towards him at the sound of his voice, twin looks of extreme shock etched in each line of their faces. Tonks raised her wand towards him but Harry was too quick. He lifted his hand towards the coat rack. An umbrella came flying towards Tonks and pierced her right through the chest.

Remus stepped back and wore a look of mixed surprise, distraught, and anger. Tonks took one last look at Harry, and died.

"Get out of here Remus. Tell the rest of your little buddies that if you fuck with me again, I will kill each and every last one of you."

Remus nodded and Harry passed him on his way out the door. Harry walked out into the front yard of number four and turned back towards the house.

"Do not underestimate me, I will kill Voldemort, and I am the only one that can do it." Harry closed his eyes for a moment, and found what he was looking for.

"Goodbye Remus."

With that, Harry jumped up and for only the second time in his life, flew away. Remus stood watching him with his mouth open, apparently he _had_ underestimated Harry. After gathering his wits, Remus turned and made his way back into the house. He checked on Vernon Dursley only to discover that Harry had tortured him to death. Petunia and Dudley seemed to be fine, though shaken and grieving for the loss of their husband and father. Remus had no time to react as he heard stunning spells shot from behind him. He was unconscious before he hit the floor.

Harry flew in the general direction he remembered the twins had taken back to the burrow when they had freed him from the Dursleys over five years ago. He wasn't exactly sure how long he had flown. The adrenaline and anger was still coursing through his veins like a poison and the only thing he could think of was how much the order had betrayed him.

He finally spotted the old, ramshackle house after what must have been an hour. He headed for the topmost window of the house and flew up and stopped, hovering, in front of the window. He could see Ron inside the room, fists smashing against the door, trying to get out. Ron seemed to finally give up and turned, and saw Harry. A look of surprise fettered across his face momentarily, but a second later he rushed to the window.

To Harry, it seemed as if Ron was trying to tell him something, but his voice didn't work. Harry was stumped for a minute, but then realized there must have been a silencing charm on the room. Harry reached out and tried to open the window, only to find that it wouldn't budge an inch. Instinctively, Harry reached into his back pocket for his wand, and realized it wasn't there. Where was his wand? He had been in such a hurry to get away from Privet Drive that he hadn't even asked Remus where it was. Well, no matter, he could still do wandless magic. Harry motioned for Ron to step back.

"Bombarda." The spell was relatively low powered for Harry, but it was still strong enough to blow the window into a thousand pieces. Harry flew into the room in front of Ron.

"Bloody hell Harry! I appreciate you rescuing me and all, but did you have to almost blow the whole bloody wall up?" Ron said, brushing pieces of glass and wood from his hair. "What took you so long anyway?"

"They had me locked in the cupboard under the stairs at the Dursleys. I ended up killing eleven order members." Harry expected Ron to look aghast, but it was quite the opposite. His eyes had turned hard and there was a silent anger about him that surprised Harry.

"Yeah well they deserved it. They are treating us like we are eleven bloody years old! They think they know what is best. I'm tired of it."

"Me too, let's get out of here."

"I have to go downstairs, mum has my wand." Harry nodded and made his way over to the door.

"On the count of three I'm going to blow this door open. One...Two...Three...Bombarda."

Again it was a low powered spell, but the damage was immense. The door exploded outward in a haze of splinters. Ron took the lead down the stairs and Harry followed close behind. As they passed Ginny's door, Harry momentarily wondered what she was doing. They were almost to the bottom of the staircase when Arthur Weasley appeared.

"Molly! It's Harry! Get Ginny out of here!"

Harry was annoyed that he would think that he would harm Ginny, but the words also stung very close to Harry's heart. It was almost the exact words his father had said to his mum the night that Voldemort gave him his scar.

"Ron, down." Ron ducked and Harry struck. "Pulsus."

Arthur went flying down the staircase just as he had begun his stunning spell. Ron continued the rest of the way down and had just stepped foot onto the floor when an immense jet of navy light struck him in the side, sending him flying into the wall. He hit at such a high speed, that as soon as his body smashed into the wall, blood splattered all over the place.

"RON!"

Harry rushed over to his friend, who was lying on the ground, unmoving. Harry dropped to his knees next to Ron, whose whole front was almost completely smashed in. He was gasping for breath, but managed enough for one last sentence.

"Take him down Harry, kill that bastard." And then, Ron died.

Harry was in shock, but it only lasted for a minute. Then Harry finally stopped fighting it, the extreme darkness, power and hate buried deep inside him, rushed into every fiber of his being. Harry didn't realize it, but the entirety of both his eyes turned completely black. Standing up, Harry turned and faced the son of a bitch who had just killed his best friend. Standing there with her wand pointed straight at him was Hermione.

Hermione took one look at Harry's eyes and took an instinctive step back. Harry stepped forward and strode towards her with murder in his eyes. Hermione knew that if she stayed and fought, Harry would kill her, so she did the only thing that she could think of, apparated away.

Harry saw Hermione start her spin and would have none of it, he only concentrated on Hermione and followed her into that tight tube like feel of apparation.

Hermione had kept her eyes open as she apparated, the first time she had ever done so. She only saw complete darkness at first, and then a face came flying towards her, a face with black eyes. Harry Potter caught her in the middle of an apparation! They continued through the apparation with Harry's hands clasped around Hermione's neck. And then the apparation ended, and they slammed into the ground.

The force with which they slammed into the ground was enough to leave an impression in the Earth and send Harry flying off of Hermione. Harry landed on his side and rolled onto his feet just as Hermione stood up.

In Hermione's desperation to get away from the Burrow before Harry had the chance to strike, she had instinctively thought of Hogwarts, where she had been staying. They had landed on the lawn directly in front of the famous castle. Hermione didn't know how she had managed to apparate onto the grounds, it was said to be impossible. She looked at Harry and realized that somehow his power must have been great enough to smash through.

Harry was like wise stumped as to how they had managed to get onto the grounds, but dismissed the thoughts; he had more important things to deal with.

Hermione was terrified of what Harry would do to her, but in her mind she was repeating the same thought over and over again so as to hopefully build some courage. _Harry is going dark, I must stop him._ Not giving Harry the chance to strike first, Hermione did.

"Plaga!" It was the same navy colored spell that had killed Ron. Harry stood there and let it get within inches of his chest before he raised his hand and the spell deflected to the right, blowing a hole in the ground.

"Ictus." Hermione had conjured a shield right after she had launched her spell, but Harry's spell blew right through it and struck Hermione in the top of the thigh, nearly slicing her leg in half, causing her to scream out in pain and crumple to the ground.

Minerva McGonagall, who had been alerted by the sound of the explosion of Hermione's spell, came rushing out the front door of the castle, followed closely by Professor's Sprout, Sinistra, Flitwick, Slughorn, and Hagrid. They took in the scene with shocked eyes. Harry noticed none of this and struck again.

Waving his hand to the side, Hermione flew up screaming and crashed into the castle. With another wave of his hand, Hermione flew back and then into the wall again. With a final flick of his hand, Hermione soared back and crashed into the ground, bleeding badly and semi-conscious

McGonagall, shocked out of her stupor, did the only thing that she could think of to save Hermione's life; she tried to end Harry's.

"Avada Kedavra!"

Harry turned at the voice and saw the green light of the spell rush towards him. Raising his hands to the sky, Harry cried out a spell he never knew he knew.

"Coerco Vuluntas!" A massive pure white light erupted from his hands and expanded until it completely surrounded both himself and Hermione. The killing curse slammed into the side of the constructed dome, and vanished.

McGonagall heard Flitwick suck in a gasp of breath and turned towards him.

"What?"

"That dome that Harry just constructed, it's a dome of purity, goodness. No one has been able to perform that spell in almost a century, not even Albus could do it. In order for the caster to be able to construct it, he must be pure of heart. No spell intended to do harm can pass through."

"That can't be right Finius; Harry has killed at least fourteen people. How can he be pure of heart?" Sprout asked him.

"I do not know." The entire time this conversation had been going on, Harry had made his way over to Hermione. Crouching down, Harry addressed her.

"This is it Hermione, the end of your life. I remember I once told you not to try attacking me or I would kill you, you should have listened. You killed my best friend, the only person who believed in me. Hell, you have known me for seven years and you believed I was going evil. These are dark times Hermione, I have to do what I can to end them. Ron stood by me; he was with me through and through. I wanted you beside me Hermione, I did. But you have crossed the line."

"So your going to kill me, for trying to end what I believed was another Voldemort before he could rise to power?"

"No, I understand you wanting to do that. If I were in your shoes I would have done the same thing. I'm going to kill you for killing Ron." Harry raised his hand and was about to strike, when Hermione dropped a bombshell.

"I didn't kill Ron."

"What? I saw you hit him with that spell of yours, I saw him smash into the wall. I WAS SITTING BESIDE HIM WHEN HE TOOK HIS LAST BREATH!"

"NO, you only saw your worst fear. I hit you with the spell, not Ron. The spell induces the worst fear of any who are struck by it. Your worst fear was obviously Ron dying. The spell lasts for an hour, once it's over you will realize that what you saw wasn't real."

Harry didn't believe her, and was about to kill her when he noticed her eyes. They were glossy, a little frosted over. He had seen that look before; he had seen it on Viktor Krum's face in the maze, when he had been under the imperious curse.

"Prior Incantartum." He said, his hands still pointing at Hermione's heart. At once, her body went stiff and then relaxed. Her eyes were normal brown again.

"Oh Harry!" She said, reaching up and wrapping her arms around his neck, beginning to sob. Pushing her back, Harry looked into her eyes.

"How long were you under the imperious?"

"Since we got back, Moody put me under after you left. After Ron killed him, McGonagall redid the spell with instructions to kill you. I fought it as hard as I could but it was just too strong, oh Harry I'm so sorry!" Harry was shocked.

He had almost just killed Hermione for a crime he thought she had committed but actually hadn't, and the anger he was going to use to fuel the curse was from something she had been forced to against her will.

Just at that moment, a gangly teenager came running up the path towards the castle. A gangly teenager with red hair.

"Harry! Don't! She's under the imperious!" Ron stopped just short of the beginning of the bright dome. Harry looked at him, then back at Hermione, only to notice she was unconscious from blood loss. Making a decision, Harry ended the dome and picked up her limp form.

"Ron, come grab a hold of my arm." Ron raced over and grabbed Harry's right forearm. Turning back to McGonagall, Harry had a last remark. "This isn't over." Focusing all his power on apparating to Saint Mungo's, Harry stepped sharply into a spin and was gone.

A/N I am well aware that this chapter may bring up a ton of questions and i am prepared to answer all of them in the following chapter. I have been trying to post this for the last week and it only just now let me. So as always, comment me and tell me what you think.


	7. Hermione's Tale

Upon their arrival in Saint Mungos, Hermione was immediately rushed to the magical equivalent of an emergency room and Ron and Harry were instructed to sit in the waiting room.

They weren't sure how long they waited, but to Harry it felt like an eternity. There were so many questions floating around in his mind that he could barely wrap his head around them. Hermione hadn't actually walked out on their friendship? The order had put her under the imperious? For what reason? What had they gotten from Hermione before he was able to end the curse? The biggest worry in Harry's mind was weather or not the order knew about the horcruxes.

After what may have been hours or even days, it seemed the healer that had taken Hermione approached them.

"When you brought Ms. Granger in, she was in bad shape. That cut on her leg had severed several major arteries and if you had been another ten minutes in getting here she would have died. We were able to repair the leg and we gave her a dose of blood replenishing potion. She's out of the woods for the most part but she will have to stay at least for tonight."

"Can we see her?" Harry asked.

"No, not tonight, she's sleeping and she desperately needs rest right now. You can see her first thing tomorrow morning."

After the healer left, Harry and Ron slowly made their way out of the magical hospital and down the sidewalk.

"I can't believe the order would do that!" Ron said for what must have been the twentieth time.

"I know, but I'm not going to let them get away with it. Come on; let's go pay our favorite minister a visit."

They apparated to the visitors' entrance of the Ministry of Magic and the sight of the ramshackle telephone booth brought back painful and very visual memories of the last time he had seen it. When he had visited the minister earlier that summer, he had apparated directly into the lobby, but figuring that they were probably closed, thought that not the best idea.

After stating their name and business and making their way down into the lobby, they headed towards the security desk. The security guard was different from the one that had been there the day of Harry's trial summer before fifth year. Once their wands were checked and found to be fine, they made their way to the lifts and up to the minister's office floor. Stepping out of the lift, the duo made their way down the hall and towards Scridgemore's office. They had nearly reached his secretary when two well built men in red auror robes stepped in front of them.

"Mr. Potter, Minister Scridgemore is busy at the moment and has given us instructions to escort you to the Under Secretary." Harry was suspicious from the moment the auror's had stepped in front of them and knew that something was up. There was absolutely no way that the minister would ever refuse to see him. But, deciding to see where this went, he followed the auror down a smaller corridor off to the left. They walked for a few minutes before stopping in front of a wooden door.

"Through there." The auror said, opening the door and ushering Ron in, followed by Harry. The door closed swiftly behind them and Harry heard the guard seal the door.

Taking a look around the room, Harry knew exactly who they had been brought to see. There were posters of kittens and cats all around the room. Including the plates that had once resided in Hogwarts castle during Harry's fifth year. Harry turned to Ron, to tell him exactly who to expect, when he was interrupted by that stupid cough.

"Hmm...Hmm." Harry turned towards it and saw the disgusting face of Umbridge. Harry felt the power that he had let out during his brief battle with Hermione started to take force again, but forced it back. Ron seemed to have lost all control though.

"YOU!" He bellowed.

"Yes, Mr. Weasley, me." She said, placing her wand in plain sight on her desk, which Harry found amusing, she thought she could intimidate him. "Would you boys like tea?" She asked, grabbing a kettle off her desk and conjuring two cups.

She filled both of them full of the steaming drink and placed them in front of Harry and Ron. Harry, however wasn't fooled, he knew that the cups had veritaserum in them. She had tried this once before. Looking towards Ron, whose face shown that he was clearly about to tell Umbridge what she could do with her tea, when Harry gave him a look that clearly said pretend to drink. So they both picked up their cups and pretended to drink. Umbridge had a look of complete satisfaction on her face; she clearly thought they were really drinking the truth serum.

"Good. Now, where is Sirius Black?" She asked in a confident voice. Harry, however, only laughed.

"Well you are clearly behind on your news. He died in this very building a year ago." Though he laughed, Harry found nothing less amusing. Umbridge wore a look that clearly shown she believed him to be lying.

"Well drink up, drink up. Now," She said, after it appeared they had taken a few more drinks. "Where is Sirius Black?"

"I already told you, he's dead." Harry repeated.

"DO NOT LIE TO ME!" She screeched, losing control.

"Well, even if he were alive, why in the hell would we tell you?" Harry asked, starting to lose control himself. Umbridge picked up her wand and Harry let her tie them to their chairs.

"Yes, well if you won't tell me, then ill have to resort to more painful practices."

"I think not." And once again, Harry let his power wash over him. He knew from the look that crossed Umbridge's face that his eyes had turned black, she was terrified. With a simple thought, the robes binding them to their chairs snapped, and they stood.

Umbridge grabbed her wand and had started the killing curse when Harry cut her off.

"I think not bitch. Pulsus!" She was struck in the middle of the chest and sent flying back into the wall, cracking the plaster and becoming dazed in the process. The commotion must have alerted the aurors because they chose that moment to come rushing in. Ron, however, was ready for them.

"Stupify! Stupify!" The aurors went down before they had even stepped through the door.

Umbridge stood up and reared to again try and strike.

"Avada..."

"Cruico!" The beam struck Umbridge and she went down screaming. Harry could feel the auror's approaching and ended the spell, leaving Umbridge lying in a puddle of her own vomit. The aurors came rushing in seconds later and seemed temporarily shocked as to what to do. Finally the head auror seemed to come to a conclusion and pointed his wand at Harry.

"Do not do that." Scridgemore said, as he came limping in. "What happened here Harry?" He asked, looking first from Umbridge lying on the floor to the stunned aurors.

"Ron and I came here to talk to you. We were on our way to your office when those two," He said motioning at the stunned aurors, "told us that you were busy and we would be seeing the under secretary. We followed them here where they locked us in the room with toad face over there. She tried to get us to drink veritaserum so we pretended we were, but when she didn't get the answers she wanted to her questions, she decided to try and kill me. So I struck back. Those two dumbasses came running and Ron stunned them. Just before you arrived she again tried to kill me but I hit her with a good old fashion cruico. Then you came in and that was that."

Scridgemore nodded and turned to the aurors. "Place Dolores Umbridge under arrest for attempted illegal use of veritaserum and attempted murder. Just question those two; I'm not sure if they weren't only following orders. Harry, Ron, would you two come with me." Harry and Ron followed the minister out of the room and back down the hallway to his office.

"So Harry, what exactly did you want to talk to me about?"

"I would like Minerva McGonagall arrested to unlicensed use of an unforgivable." Scridgemore had an unbelieving look pass across his face Harry said this.

"What curse? Cruiatus or imperious?"

"Imperious. She put Hermione Granger under with orders to kill me I believe. Though I'm not sure about that. All I know is that Hermione had been under the imperious and she told me that it was McGonagall who had done it."

Harry and Ron spent the next hour talking to Scridgemore, telling him everything they could, or chose to. He promised them that he would send aurors to talk to Hermione tomorrow and then decide weather to press charges.

After leaving the ministry, Harry and Ron headed back to Grimmauld Place for a night's sleep before leaving to see Hermione in the morning.

When they arrived in Hermione's room the following morning after a restless nights sleep, they found her awake and talking to a couple of aurors who were just on their way out.

"How are you feeling, Hermione?" Ron asked as he made his way over to her bedside, Harry, however, remained standing.

"Good for the most part, kinda tired though." She looked over at Harry and her eyes immediately began to fill with tears. "Oh Harry, I'm so sorry. I never wanted to hurt you." Harry said nothing, only continued to look at her. Finally, he took the seat on the other side of the bed.

"Tell us everything." He said, leaning forward on his elbows.

"Well, after we left the platform and apparated to Grimmauld Place, you sent me to put the house under a new fidelius. I had just got into the house when I was hit with the imperious. Moody stepped out of the shadows and told me what to do. He said 'Go along with Potter until he gives you a reason to break the friendship. If it even only slightly annoys you, leave and come to Hogwarts. Until then, act normal.' And then he left. I was forced to pretend like nothing was wrong. When I saw you kill Creature, I felt annoyed and the orders immediately took effect. I don't remember what happened exactly, but the next thing I knew I was waking up outside the gates to Hogwarts. When I got inside, Moody and McGonagall interrogated me with veritaserum and made me tell them everything I knew.

"When they heard that you were going to be in Diagon Alley, they wanted to ambush you there and force you back into your aunt and uncles house where they could watch you. When Ron killed Moody, the imperious started to wear off and I was just about to call out to you when McGonagall hit me with it again from behind. She whispered only one order in my ear, 'kill Harry'. I fought it as hard as I could, but I couldn't break the spell." Hermione had tears streaming down her face as she explained what had happened, but continued on with her story. "After we fought and you portkey'd me back to Hogwarts, I spent a few days in the hospital wing. After the Order caught you and put you back in the Dursleys, I was told to go to the Burrow just in case you got out because they figured you would go straight for Ron.

"When we heard Ron's door blast open, we knew that you were here. Mr. Weasley was convinced that you were going to kill them all and went to head you off. None of the Weasleys were aware I was under the imperious, by the way. Well when you sent him flying back and you came down the stairs, I hit you with the living nightmare spell. I guess you must have seen Ron die, though I'm not sure, the one hit with the spell sees their worst nightmare come to life. Well when you turned back to me, I could see the power radiating in you and it scared me, badly. When your eyes went black, I felt the imperious start to wear down from my trying to throw it off so badly. And then I apparated and somehow, you caught me.

"Well when you struck me with that spell, I had almost completely overthrown the imperious. But McGonagall made me say something; I don't remember exactly what it was. And you were about to kill me when you saw my eyes, right? That's the truth Harry, I swear."

Harry sat back, deep in thought. Hermione's story made a lot of sense. Like why McGonagall tried to hit him with a killing curse when he was battling Hermione. Harry wanted to believe her, but was hesitant to do so. Harry decided that he trusted her. He had seen the change in her with his very own eyes last night.

"I believe you Hermione," was all he said.


	8. Released

**A/N Okay people, here it is, chapter 9. I know it has been months since i updated this so i opted to update as soon as possible instead of making you wait for a long chapter. This is only some 556 words so its not much. But its like two in the morning and im already getting going on chapter 10 so this is only to hold you off for a a couple days or so. Like always, please read and review and without further ado, i give you Chapter 9, Released**

"Hermione, do they know about the horcruxes?" Hermione's face developed an intensely scared look at the question.

"Yes, Harry, I'm so sorry, I had no choice but to tell them." The tears that had begun to dry up started anew at her confession. Harry placed his head in his hands, not really sure how he felt about the news. On one hand, it was rather lifting to know they weren't alone in the search. The order wasn't completely incompetent after all. But he also knew that it was going to cause problems. The order was bound to get in the way.

"Its alright, Hermione, your right, you didn't have any choice." Ron said, speaking for the first time in minutes. Ron was holding Hermione's hand with his left and subconsciously twirling his wand with his right.

"So you got your wand back alright I see?" Harry asked him.

"Yeah, I had to stun mum though, she was hysterical and was making things explode." He replied a little sheepishly. At that moment, Hermione's healer entered the room.

"How are you feeling Ms. Granger?"

"Better, I'm still a bit tired but I don't ache anymore."

"That's great news. You should be able to leave within the hour, I shall have the nurse complete your release papers and give you a dose of pepper up potion. I will advise that you take it easy for the next few days and get plenty of sleep." The doctor said in a very kind voice.

An hour later, the trio exited the shop window that was the entrance to St. Mungo's.

"How are we supposed to get home? I don't think I can apparate." Hermione said with a slight nervous look on her face. Harry, however, had an almost maniacal grin cross his face.

"Oh, don't worry about that. I've got another method of travel I can use for us. Ron would you mind just apparating home?"

"That's fine with me, though I wish I could see her face when you show her exactly how it is your going to travel." Ron said with a chuckle. Both boys knew Hermione absolutely hated flying.

"I don't like the grins on your faces." Hermione said with an annoyed look on her face. The boys merely laughed.

Walking down the street a ways, they found a dark alley in which to leave from.

"See you at home," Ron said with a smirk before he was gone with a faint pop. Harry turned to Hermione and without a second thought, disillusioned both of them with faint taps on the head and whispered incantations.

"Grab hold around my neck 'Mione." Hermione was slightly confused but wrapped her arms around Harry none-the-less. He put his arms around her lower back and then jumped. With a scream from Hermione that had all the muggles on the street blowing looking for the sound, they rocketed upwards and into the sky.

"HARRY! WHAT THE HELLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL" Hermione screamed. "YOU BETTER HAVE A GODDAMN BROOM UNDERNEATH YOUR ASS POTTER!" The fact that Hermione was swearing was the major indicator that she was completely freaked out. Harry was laughing so hard his concentration broke for a minute and they began to freefall towards the ground hundreds of feet below. Gaining back his concentration, Harry and Hermione flew off towards home, Number 12, Grimmauld place.


	9. Covenant

**A/N Two chapter in 24 hours after months of nothing lol. This chapter is what you have been demanding. Over 3000 words it is not overly long but its a nice piece of cake after such a long wait. It is somewhat of a filler with bits of new information strewn without the story. If anyone can find the nod to a certain something in this chapter i shall give you a nice spoiler. So here without further ado is chapter 10, Covenant**

Remus John Lupin. Correct?" Auror Dawlish asked the werewolf seated across the table from him in the small cell.

"Yes, that's correct." Lupin replied wearily. The night had been hell for the aging werewolf. First watching his friends and the love of his life killed by his best friends son, and then being arrested by Aurors.

"Why don't you tell me what happened?" Dawlish asked with barely concealed contempt. Two aurors had been found dead in a muggle house with the werewolf being the only one to have saw all of it.

"Death Eaters. They came out of nowhere and began attacking the house." Lupin may not have been a fan of Harry Potter any longer, but he knew that the truth would be damning to the cause against Voldemort if it was found out that the 'chosen one' had killed some of the good guys. "The wards that Dumbledore had placed around the house held long enough for us in the Order to arrive. The Death Eaters had managed to gain entry and we battled them just inside the door. They ki-killed all of my friends." He sobbed.

"If it was Death Eaters, then where was the dark mark? Where were the fallen Death Eaters. The rest of your 'Order' might have been incompetent but Auror Shacklebolt was not. Certainly you managed you subdue at least one of them." He asked in a rather cold voice.

"They…grabbed their wounded when they apparated away. They didn't have time to cast the Dark Mark."

"Why did you survive without a scratch, when everyone else died?" Lupin looked at the man, the same question in his mind.

"I…I don't know."

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Harry and Hermione touched down on the front steps of Grimmauld Place, within the safety of the Fidelius charm. Harry opened the door and stepped into the now bright and cheery house, Winky and Dobby had been absolutely amazing in their redecorations.

"HARRY JAMES POTTER! HOW DARE YOU SCARE ME LIKE THAT" Hermione hollered and punctuated each word with a punch to Harry's chest. Unseen to both of them, Ron had been standing in the shadows with his fist in his mouth, trying hard not to let them hear his laughter. "HOW THE HELL CAN YOU FLY" She finished with a stamp of her foot. Harry only looked at her in a bemused sort of way.

"Well if Ron is quite finished trying to eat his fist, and your done abusing me, there is a lot to catch you up on." Ron looked momentarily shocked that Harry knew he was there but just figured it was another Harry thing.

Harry led Hermione into the library and caught her up on all that they had found and done in the time she had been gone, finishing with the prediction of Rowena Ravenclaw and his new found abilities. Hermione was impressed that they had already managed to destroy one horcrux but developed a thoughtful look on her face when Harry mentioned the prophecy.

"I've heard that before, but there's more to it than what you said. During one of my trips do Diagon Ally, I went into that bookstore on the corner near Knockturn Ally that specializes in rare books. There was a book in there about Ravenclaw and it had that prophecy in it in its entirety. But my trunk is at Hogwarts and I don't know how we are going to get it."

"Well I need to go to Hogwarts anyways, I think they have my wand." Hermione nodded her head, she had seen Professor McGonagall with it after they had placed Harry back at the Dursleys. "I don't exactly think its going to be easy though, McGonagall is bound to make it difficult for us, especially after last night." Harry had told Hermione what had happened at the Durlseys and while she was very upset that he had killed all of them, she understood that sometimes things are necessary that you might not like.

"Well then there's no sense putting it off, we might as well go now while we still have daylight. We need to stop at Diagon Ally anyway, in all the excitement we never bought the new brooms and you still have that package Dumbledore left you in vault 714."

Shortly after that, Harry apparated both Ron and Hermione into the Entrance Hall of Hogwarts, he was starting to like the ability to apparate through wards. Thankfully for them, the hall was deserted.

"Alright Hermione, go up to Gryffindor tower and get your trunk. If you meet anyone along the way that draws down on you, do whatever you feel necessary." Hermione nodded in the affirmative and set off at a trot towards the dormitories. Harry and Ron followed her up the stairs but turned on the seventh floor, and headed off towards the headmistresses office. When they reached the gargoyle, Harry had no idea what the password was. But the thought was unneeded, for as soon as he stepped in front of the gargoyle, it jumped aside to admit him passage. Shaking his head as to why it didn't ask for the password, Harry took the steps two at a time.

McGonagall was sitting behind her desk when her door banged open as Harry entered. McGonagall was ready for him however. Before Harry could even blink, both him and Ron were wrapped tightly in cords shot from the end of her wand. With another flick of said wand, both boys where bound again, this time to straight back chairs conjured out of thin air.

Harry knew he could break both their bonds if need be, but he decided to go with it to see where it would lead. People had a habit of saying more than they should when they believed they were in control.

"Hello Mr. Potter, Mr. Weasley. I have been expecting you. We have quite a few things to discuss and though I rather wish the restraints were unnecessary, we both know they are. Now, Thanks to you Mr. Potter, the Order is in shambles. A good percentage of our people are dead thanks to your new…outlook on the war effort. Remus is in Ministry custody over the deaths that happened at your relatives house, though thankfully they cannot tie him to the crimes so he shall be released shortly. We may have been rather forceful in attempting to take you to the Dursleys but we believed it necessary. It is of no use any longer however, as when you killed your uncle, the wards fell since you no longer called it home. So it has been decided that you shall stay here at the castle. You can have free reign to go anywhere you like, as long as you do not leave the grounds." McGonagall finished with a look on her face that showed she was confident that Harry would accept this offer.

"No thanks, Minerva. For all intents and purposes this shall be the last time I step foot in this castle. As to the Order being in shambles, I told you time and time again to leave me alone. I am perfectly capable of handling myself but you just couldn't drop it. Do you think I _enjoyed_ killing all those people. NO! After I got home that night, I was a fucking wreck. It nearly destroyed me that I had killed people that had only been looking out for my best interest, but you could not leave well enough alone. I am sorry that Remus was arrested but he should never have been there in the first place. As for Vernon Dursley, well I feel no remorse for that. In fact I would much love to go back and kill Petunia and Dudley for the way they treated me. They beat on me for 16 years, made me their servant for 16 years. I shall shed no tears that the bastard is dead."

The night after the incident at Number 4, Privet Drive, had been hell on Harry. Once he had gone home from the ministry, he had gone straight to his room, and dropped to his knees and cried. Cried for all the families that would mourn those who he had killed.

"Potter, you must understand. You HAVE to stay in the castle. Is it the only place safe enough for you. Yes, I know you can take care of yourself. But if its Voldemort that attacks you and not just his fool Death Eaters, then even you couldn't hold you own."

"Minerva, I am done with this conversation. Untie us and give me my wand so I can be on my way."

"I'm afraid I can't do that Potter. You must be protected. You are the only shining star in the bright night that is our world! If you die, then all is lost and people will lose hope." Ron had stayed quiet through the conversation but chose to interrupt now.

"Professor McGonagall, we've always liked you. But you are seriously pushing it. You talk about Harry being killed by Voldemort when you yourself tried to kill him last night. The ministry is investigating the fact that you put Hermione under the Imperious and tried to get HER to kill him too. I really don't think your one to be preaching about killing or trying to kill." When Ron said that the ministry was looking into the fact she used an unforgivable, she looked as if shed been slapped.

"Exactly, so I'll say this again, untie me and give me my wand." When she gave no indication she was about to let them go, Harry let the power surge through him again. "Alright, then I'll do it my way." Fire seemed to erupt around the pupils of Harry's eyes and spread out through the iris's until his eyes were completely black. With a simple hand gesture the bonds around him snapped, with another, Ron was also free. McGonagall's eyes betrayed her surprise at his power.

"Accio wand." Harry said holding his hand out. His wand shot from the back of McGonagall's desk, leaving a small hole in its wake. Catching the wand as it shot towards him, Harry turned on his heel and left the shocked McGonagall staring at Ron's back as his best friend followed him out.

They met Hermione on their way down the stairs and they relayed a quick summary of all that happened as they descended. In the middle of the Entrance Hall they ran into tiny Professor Flitwick.

"Oh, Hello Harry." The jovial little man said as he shook Harry's hand.

"Hello, Professor Flitwick, I actually wanted to talk to you but I wasn't sure if you were free today. Do you have a few minutes to talk?"

"Of course, Mr. Potter." The trio followed the tiny man into the Great Hall and they all took a seat at which was usually the Hufflepuff table.

"Professor, do you know what that spell was that stopped the killing curse last night?" Harry had no idea how he had cast the spell and he thought that there was no shield that could stop the killing curse. One that could would definitely come in handy down the road. Hermione leaned forward, always eager to learn something new.

"It is called the Castimonia shield. It is, quite literally, a perfect shield for those that can cast it. However, it is most difficult to cast due to the fact that you must be pure of heart as well as overly powerful to cast it. If you have even so much as a blemish on your soul, it will not work. It is powerful enough to stop a killing curse of lower power, such as Minerva's because it contains much more good magic than bad magic of the killing curse. When the curse is up and fully functioning, nothing that is meant to do harm can pass through the dome. On a side note, no one has been able to cast the spell in over a thousand years. The last to be able to do so was Godric Gryffindor himself."

Harry took it all in with a nod of his head, to be honest, nothing he could do surprised him anymore, not after flying. Hermione, however, was looking at Harry with what could only be awe written all over her face. Harry threw a smirk at her and turned back to Flitwick.

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"Well that was certainly surprising." Hermione said to both of them as they made their way out of Hogwarts, stopping just outside the doors.

"Yeah, being able to cast this purity dome thing could really help when I finally have to face Voldemort."

"I don't know Harry. Flitwick said that it could stop low powered killing curses, but Voldemort has the most powerful killing curse of anyone alive. You don't know what could happen if it were to strike and white magic were to strike black magic."

"Yeah, mate. It could blow up or something, you never know."

"Maybe, but we will see. Its starting to get dark and we still have to go to Diagon Ally so we need to get going."

A quick side-along apparation later found the three teens standing in the apparation point of Diagon Ally. Deciding that Gringotts would be the place to go first, they made their way up the white marble stairs and into the first line available.

"Albus Dumbledore left me something in vault 714 and I would like to get it out if I could." The goblin seemed to scrutinize him for a minute before nodding his head. With a quick snap of the fingers, a goblin Harry had never seen before came rushing from the back. After a quick whispering of words between the goblins, the unknown goblin lead him towards the double doors to the side of the hall and into one of the rail carts.

The ride down was as terrifying as ever, with the twists and turns making you believe you would fly out at any minute. Finally they stopped at the vault Harry hadn't seen in nearly seven years. Ron and Hermione stayed in the cart as Harry followed the goblin onto the landing in front of the vault.

The goblin slowly ran his finger down the middle of the vault door and the metallic clicks of the locks undoing themselves sounded like gunshots in the silent cavern. As the door disappeared, Harry saw a small trunk sitting on the floor of the vault. Stepping in, Harry used his wand to quickly shrink the trunk and he placed it in his pocket.

Outside the bank, the sky had turned a blood red that meant sunset. Knowing the had only minutes until the shops began to close. They hastily beat it to Quality Quidditch Supplies. Browsing up and down the shelves, Harry came to the newest line of brooms released, the Firebolt Hallow. The broom was quite expensive, but wanting nothing less than the best, Harry bought three of them.

When they left the store, dark had completely fallen and the ally was mostly deserted.

"Hey guys, I think I'm gonna fly home. Its great flying weather and no one will be able to see me so I think ill be safe."

"Yeah me too, I can't wait to try out the new Hallow either." Ron said, admiring the broom in his hand.

"No I don't mean on a broom, I mean like Superman." Ron looked confused at the word Superman, but before Ron could ask who he was, Harry cut him off. "He's a fictional character in muggle comics. He can fly like I can, without a broom or anything." Ron nodded his head in understanding.

"Yes, well that sounds fun and all, but I'm just going to apparate." Hermione said dryly. While silently thinking 'boys'." Hermione turned and with a pop, she was gone.

"See you at home." Ron said as he straddled the broom and kicked off. Harry waited a few minutes to make sure Ron was long ahead of him. Since he had developed the ability to fly, he had never had the chance to really relax and enjoy it, he was going to now. When he was sure Ron was far ahead, Harry jumped up and was gone.

Flying with a broom was one of the best things in life in Harry's mind, but flying without one was so much better. The lights below him that were both muggle and magical, looked so different from way above. He stopped and just hovered above London. This was what he was fighting to save, this peacefulness that people took for granted. He would kill Voldemort so he could have many more moments like this, just relaxing and enjoying watching the world go about their business.

Harry flew slowly towards Grimmauld Place, enjoying the fresh air and the freedom of flying. When he finally arrived over the street, he began his decent. And was soon inside the hallway of the now much cozier house. He had no sooner taken his cloak off when a very angry Winky popped into existence in front of him.

"Master is late for dinner. Go eat now!" The little elf commanded with a stomp of the foot. Harry was so shocked that he did as told without questioning it. It was never good to have a pissed off Winky. As the thought ran through his head, he laughed at the perversion of it.

Ron and Hermione were both sitting at the table with plates of food piled high in front of them and were silently eating.

"What took you so long Harry? We were starting to get worried." Hermione said as she looked up from the book in front of her.

"I was just enjoying myself that's all." He replied as he sat down and began to pile food onto his plate. As he was, a certain thought occurred to him. "Dobby?"

"Yes, Master Harry?" The little elf said as he cracked into existence.

"I know I had you get some food last week but I haven't been able to get to the grocery to get more. Do you think you could go tomorrow and get some?" The thought that he had said he would get more groceries had completely slipped his mind.

"Yes, Master Harry, sir, Dobby would be delighted" After the brief conversation with Dobby, the rest of the meal was ate in silence. Once the trio had finished, Harry stood up and went over to what appeared to be solid wall. Tapping the wall three times, and a hidden door swung open to reveal numerous bottles of Ogden's Firewhisky. Grabbing an already opened bottle and three glasses, Harry sat back down at the table.

"Firewhisky! Awesome! I've always wanted to try it." Ron said as Harry handed him a glass. Hermione looked at the glass for a minute, before finally giving in and taking a sip. The look on her face was priceless. Harry laughed as Ron coughed.

"Alright Hermione, why don't you tell us what the book says about Rowena's prophecy."

"Alright," Hermione said as she began to read.

When the world is dark and in the midst of a war of dark vs. evil, the heirs of the snake and the lion will lead. The snake will perform unspeakable acts to gain immortality and on the path will give the heir of the lion the necessary tools to defeat him and end the war. The snake will inadvertently create the most powerful human to walk the earth in thousands of years. His powers will be exponential and will not be bound to the earth. The lion will face many trials in his life, but some will stand beside him and gain power and strength through it all. The ones that stand beside the lion shall become the covenant of justice while the snakes shall become the covenant of death. When they days grow dark and light is dim, the lion shall gain his power and his covenant shall form with five of age marked with the pentagram of power. Five points, five men.

"The original said 'the _one_ that stands besides him shall gain power and strength'. This says some around him." Harry said as Hermione finished reading. Harry didn't hear Hermione's reply as something finally clicked in his brain. _five of age_! Five of the six he led into the Department of Mysteries were now of age, Luna having started a year late! Just as he came to this conclusion an intense burning in his right forearm made him gasp in pain. He could hear the other two suck in a deep breath as well. As suddenly as the pain had started, it was gone. Ripping up the right sleeve of his shirt, Harry was stunned to see a black Pentagram with an overly large L taking up the center of the circle. Turning to Ron and Hermione, he could see the marks branded upon their skin as well. The covenant of the lion had been marked.


End file.
